


The Past Isn't The Present

by CrazedCommander24



Category: British Actor RPF
Genre: Actor Tom Hiddleston, Angst, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, College, Engagement, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Gen, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Multi, Off-screen Relationship(s), Past Relationship(s), Reader-Insert, Relationship(s), Slight swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-31
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2018-08-12 03:51:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 33,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7919422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrazedCommander24/pseuds/CrazedCommander24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tom often looked after you when you were younger since he lived right next door. He influenced you on the arts, inspiring and encouraging you to become a writer. Because of that, you eventually develop a crush on him, your feelings for him escalating more and more as you get older. Due to your father’s work, you had to move to Edinburgh. You leave Oxford with a heaviness in your heart.</p><p>Years pass, and you were already about to finish college in a prestigious school in Cambridge. You were desperate to find a male lead for your last play, and so you ask your mentor for suggestions. She mentions the name Tom Hiddleston, and even assures you that he was perfect for the role. You meet up with him, every childhood memory running in your mind as you talked. You don't get too personal, much to Tom's dismay, but the play still goes well. Unbeknownst you, a scout was in the audience and has given you a job opportunity. You pack your bags and fly to the United States, not telling everyone of your destination.</p><p>Now that you work as a writer in Hollywood, you can't really find enough excuses not to meet with the well-known actor. Well, he did promise he'd meet you in a few years, and he always did keep his promises.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Making Memories And Realizing Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, guys! This is the first fanfic I've uploaded (so far...) Feel free to comment on it.  
> Enjoy reading!
> 
> *Disclaimer: Tom Hiddleston and the characters he played/plays as, Taylor Swift, Chris Hemsworth, and any other actor or actress mentioned in this story are not my property.*
> 
> Note: This story has been revised. I've added in some scenes that I've only thought of now, and edited some grammatical and spelling errors.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Tom were neighbors in a small town in Oxford. He usually looked after you during the summer since he lived right next door. He taught you many things, and even helped you realize your dream. You never thought that your days with him would suddenly stop, your family needing to transfer to Edinburgh.
> 
> Days before you were leaving, he took you sightseeing at nearby places near your neighborhood. He made sure that you enjoyed every moment. You found Port Meadow to be the most memorable place you went to, immediately thinking that the place will forever be etched into your memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys~ so this is Chapter 1 of my very first upload... Enjoy~

When you were younger, Tom would look after you often when your parents were at work during summer break. Since you didn’t want to go outside most of the time, he had to find some alternatives to keep the both of you sane but safe. Both of you would play pretend: him, acting as Sherlock Holmes while you were his trusty sidekick, Watson. He would set-up different mysteries in your backyard, always leaving you entertained. He always made sure that you smiled and laughed until your cheeks and stomach hurt.

However, on the days that you wanted to wander off a bit, he would take you to the theater: his mother’s workplace. Both of you would sneak inside and watch the actors perform on stage, Tom always holding his breathe as you two watched them practicing their lines. You, however, went on to imagine different endings to the plays you saw, sometimes snooping at the script writer's notes on the scripts. That was when you knew of Tom's passion for acting and your own love for writing.

When it was time to go back to school, your mood always soured since Tom had to go back to boarding school. He promised to write to you when he had the time, leaving you waiting for his letters when the month was about to end. This continued until your teens, each letter talking of his experiences at school and how he couldn't wait for summer to come. He still went to hang out with you during summer break, even though you were noticeably growing up and didn’t need someone to watch over you anymore. Your feelings for him grew more during that time, finding yourself constantly blaming it on the hormones that were currently dominating your system.

You won’t forget the one summer that you had to move: your father excitedly told you that he got a promotion at work and had to transfer to Edinburgh, and that he’s taking you and your mother. You smiled and congratulated your father, but eventually frowned when you realized you had to leave Oxford: you had to leave your friends, and you had to leave Tom. You had no choice, of course, since your parents never really liked the idea of boarding schools. You went up your room that night still thinking of how you'll be able to handle yourself when moving day comes, trying not to cry in front of your parents.

Since it was summer, you knew that Tom was at home. You walked to the house next door, bumping into Tom as he was about to go to your place. You went to the tree that was planted between your house and Tom's, the two of you leaning on it as you talked of the events that transpired the yesterday. “I’m proud of my dad, but... I just can’t believe that we’re leaving.” You said, crossing you arms as you looked down. Tom looked down while he fiddled with the leaf he held, then looked at you. “I think you’ll be fine in Edinburgh. And besides, your father wouldn’t be taking you there if he thought it wasn’t a nice place.” He answered, letting the leaf fall from his grasp as he smiled at you. You smiled back at him, feeling a bit better from his comforting words. He never really did want you to worry for yourself and for him.

Silence fell between you two as you both looked at the sky and watched the clouds. The skies were always this dark in England, but your memories are filled with color and brightness. You were going to miss Oxford for sure. Tom is first to break the silence, asking you when you’d be leaving. “Two weeks from now,” you answered, getting off the tree as you crossed your arms on your chest. He became silent again as you gazed at him, his face expressing how deep in thought he was. You went up to him slowly, got up on your tiptoes, and flicked his forehead lightly. “Penny for your thoughts?” You giggled, Tom’s brows furrowing at his broken concentration as he rubbed his forehead.

You mumbled a ‘Sorry’, going up again on the balls of your feet and removing the hand he had on his forehead to check if you'd flicked him too hard. “Hm, you’ll live.” You say, a laugh escaping your lips as you lightly rubbed at the spot on his forehead that you flicked. He laughed at your comment, more so when he noticed that you were on your toes just so you can reach him. “Of course I’m fine, [Your Name].” He said, his hands holding your wrists to stop them from checking on his forehead. You lowered yourself onto the ground, your [Your Eye Color] eyes suddenly meet with his blue ones. He still hasn't let go of your wrists, and now was the only time you've noticed how close you were. Once he realized what he was doing, he immediately let go of your wrists and laughed, his hand going to the back of his neck in embarassment as you did the same.

You then hear your mother calling for you, asking you to help her prepare dinner. “Coming, mother!” You answered, slightly turning to face your house. You turned back to Tom, you asking him if he had something to do tomorrow. “Yeah, sure. I’ve got something planned out. I'll see you tomorrow, then!” He replied, his hand signaling for you to go back inside your house already. You nod at him, curious of his plans for tomorrow. You give him a quick goodbye then ran for your home.

The next few days were filled with awe, since Tom started taking you to different places that were near your neighborhood. He took you to museums, parks and churches. He made sure that you saw anything you haven't seen already in Oxford. The place you found most memorable, however, was the last place you visited: Port Meadow. You admired how quiet it was and how it really made you appreciate nature even more.

The two of you sat on the grass near the river as you watched the sun set, the sky’s blue color mixing with hues of orange and purple. You breathed deep and leaned back a little, using your arms to support your upper body. You stay silent for a few more minutes then you hear paper rustling in Tom’s direction. You looked at what him, wondering what he was doing, and found him holding out a slightly thick rectangular box.

“What's this? A farewell present?” You ask, getting the box from him as you sat properly and put the box on your lap. He smiles and nods at you, telling you to open it. You do as he says, taking the cover off and finding a thick notebook that had a black leather cover. You looked at him, curious as to what he wanted you to do with it. “You still want to be a writer, right?” He asked you, taking the notebook from your lap as he flipped through its empty lined pages. “Of course, I still do.” You nodded, a smile on your face as you felt your determination rise. He smiled at you, happy that your childhood dream still hasn’t changed. “Good. Then I need you to write your stories in that. Oh, and you'll have to let me read when we meet again,” He said, handing back the notebook to you before lifting a hand to ruffle your hair. You pouted, but then nodded and put the notebook inside your bag.

You then remembered that you also had a gift for him: a necklace with a compass for a pendant. You were so lucky to get the last one from that antique store, the owner giving you a special discount when you bought it. Your hands fumbled in your bag’s pocket, searching for a small box that stored the necklace. Once your hand touched it, you pulled it out and handed it to him. His brows were furrowed, but his lips were smiling. “You’re not the only one who brought a gift, Hiddleston!” You say, closing your bag's zipper and setting it beside you again. He laughs at your comment, shaking it as he tried to guess what was inside the box. He opened the box, his eyes widening sat the necklace inside. “Are you sure this isn’t expensive?” He asked, taking the necklace out of the box as he looked at it intently. “I got that from an antique store. The owner gave me a discount, so it’s all good.” You exclaim, remembering something the owner told you: ‘The previous owners of this here were successful in their careers.’ That’s half of the reason why you bought it. The other half was because Tom just plainly loves the concept of a compass: guiding you toward the right path when you get lost.

“It’s like what you are to me. You helped me realize what I wanted to be, Tom. And I thank you for that.” You say to him, fiddling with your nails as you looked at the Thames. He smiles down at you, happy from the statement that you just made. “Here, let me.” You tell him, getting the necklace from his hands. You held the necklace by its chain, asking him to come a bit closer so you can put it around his neck. He did as you told him as you opened the clasps that held the chain together. You kneel in front of him and close the necklace around his neck, making sure that the clasps were properly closed.

You move back from him, about to sit down on the grass again, when you see his face slightly flushed as a deep sigh escaped his lips. “Are you alright?” You ask him as you put a hand on his shoulder. “Y-yeah.” He said, clearing his throat as he tried to compose himself. He thanked you for the necklace you gave him, before he stood and told you that it was time to go home. You nodded at him, a little sad about leaving, but still happy that you got to give him your present. You just hope that the compass will help him in his future endeavors.

You packed the rest of your things for the following three days. Tom insisted on helping your family out, since you had a ton of stuff to pack. You didn’t talk much while you packed, too focused on arranging your things so that you wouldn’t have a hard time unpacking when you get to Edinburgh. You occasionally stole a glance at Tom, sweat rolling off his neck as he helped your dad lift the table. ‘Bloody hell, stop doing that...’ You thought, shaking off some indecent thoughts you were currently having. Tom looked at you as he wiped his sweat off, wondering why you looked a bit flushed before you moved into your room to get more of your things.

It was now moving day. Your mother asked you to wake up early, since the trip to Edinburgh was a long one. You told Tom that it was fine if he didn’t come say goodbye, but he insisted on waking up a little earlier than he usually did. You just smiled and nodded at him, knowing how stubborn he was. You sling your bag on your shoulder, then looked at your room for the last time before closing it. You meet with your parents downstairs, your mother and father smiling at you as you went down the stairs. “You ready, love?” Your dad asks you, putting a hand on your shoulder comfortingly. “Ready as I’ll ever be, Dad.” You reply, a sad smile on your lips as you looked up at him.

You all head outside. But before your father closes the door to your old home, you hear grass rustling at your side. “Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. [Your Surname]... [Your Name].” A familiar voice said behind you, already knowing who it was. “Good morning, Tom.” You turn to him and reply, your parents greeting him after you. Your dad goes up to you, tells you that he’ll just start the car and left the two of you alone to talk. You nod at him, then walked closer to Tom.

“So... This is it, huh?” The blue-eyed lad said, hands in his pockets as he looked to the ground. “Yeah...” You answer, your gaze also on the ground as you tried to smile a little. Silence fell between you two for a while, before you decided to speak. “... I’m definitely going to miss this place.” You say, looking around you and letting yourself soak in Oxford’s ambiance for the last time. You wanted to cry badly, but thought that it would be better if you didn't.

“... I’m going to miss you.” Tom suddenly said, his eyes noticeably getting wetter by the second as he bit his quiverring lower lip. “No no no no. You are not crying, Thomas William Servaes Hiddleston. Didn’t I tell you not to?” You told him, bringing your hands to rub his shoulders in comfort. He then sniffled as you hugged him, a smile on your face as you told him that you would miss him too: more than he thought you would, actually. “I-I’ll try to come see you during the summer.” He tried telling you, clearing his throat as he tried to compose himself. You smile at him, telling him that it wasn’t that necessary and that you could handle yourself. You knew how busy he was, since he was in school was always the priority for you both.

“... Either way, I’ll try visiting you one of these days.” He answered back, trying not to bawl in front of you. You were silent, not really giving much hope to it since Edinburgh was further up north, and both of you were still studying. You hear the car’s horn sound, your father telling you that it was time to go. You nod at him and turned to Tom again. Now, it was your turn to tear up. “See you in a few years, [Your Name].” Tom says, trying to at least smile a little at you. “Yeah... I guess.” You reply as you sniffled, a big smile on your face. You never knew that this would be so heartbreaking... It made your chest hurt.

You turned and walked to the car, Tom following closely behind you. He opened the car’s door for you, then you slid in and he closed it. You hunched while you sat, your tears now freely rolling down your face as you moved a hand to wipe them. Your dad puts the car in reverse and hits the gas, moving the car backward. You glance outside the windows one last time, waving at Tom as you tried to smile through your tears. He waved back at you, the boy himself getting teary-eyed as the car rolled on the road.

That was the last time you saw Tom. When you got to Edinburgh, you did start on ideas for various scripts and novels that you’d like to write. Tom did write to you, but not very often. By the fourth year of your stay in Edinburgh, the letters stopped coming. You wanted to go back to Oxford: to ask him why he stopped writing, but you know your parents won't allow that. It was a good thing that you’ve made some friends in Edinburgh already, making you forget the loneliness you felt when Tom’s letters started to come in less. Eventually, you realized that you didn’t need them anymore, knowing that Tom was probably be doing fine without you. You hoped he was, at least.

You continued writing down your ideas in that notebook that Tom gave you. You also joined some of your school’s plays as a writer, and even became editor-in-chief of your school’s publication. You graduate high school with your dream of being a writer still growing stronger within you, but you won’t likely forget who pushed you to pursue it: your best friend, who, you wouldn’t realize, would be one of the most popular actors of your generation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, now that's done... Lemme know what you guys think!


	2. Chasing A Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time has passed, and now you were about to finish your degree in Literature at Cambridge. You even had your very first relationship during this time: a man by the name of Henry Adams. You could say that he was almost perfect, with you always asking yourself as to why he chose you.
> 
> Only a few months were left before your play goes into full sail, and you don’t even have your male lead yet. Luckily, your mentor provided you with a solution and suggested someone for the said role. But boy, oh boy, were you surprised on who it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup... Totally made this piece of trash. But you read them anyway, so have fun~ Also, thanks for the kudos on the first chapter!  
> Comments would greatly be appreciated!

Time flew: and you’re now currently finishing your last year in Cambridge for your degree in Literature. It was clearly a stepping stone toward your dream. You tried your best at every challenge put upon you, never letting other people drag you down. It was all worth it, in the end, and here you are finishing up your own script for your last requirement before graduating: your own version of a Shakespearean play. You all drew lots for it, and you got assigned to do Hamlet.

You always brought your old notebook with you, continuing to write down your ideas for various stories that you thought of. You bookmarked each idea with a colored piece of paper, organizing the pages so that you'd know which story is which. You’d have to buy a new notebook eventually, since there were only a few pages left to write on.

This was also the time that you had your first relationship. Henry Adams sat beside you in class, always asking about what you were writing. You were reluctant to show him at first, since you’ve never really let anyone else read what you wrote. You let him read it eventually (due to how forceful he would get about it), letting him read it in the cafeteria as you looked at his face expectantly. “This is actually good...” He finally said, smiling up at you as he talked about your characters thoroughly. “I’m glad you like it.” You said to him with a smile as you tried to take back the notebook from his grasp. He laughed and stretched his arms to the other side, preventing you from reaching it. “Henry, give it back!” You said as you tried to stand, only to have him lightly push you down on your chair with his other hand. He put your notebook down on the desk, letting you calm down a bit.

“I’ll give this back to you in one condition.” He said, his other hand still pinning your notebook onto the desk. “Out with it, then.” You ask him as your brows furrowed, angry at how childish he was being but curious as to what he would want from you. “Have dinner with me.” He said, his lips curling up into a small smirk as he gazed at you: waiting for your answer. Your brows furrowed, mouth slightly open at your surprise. “Wha- Why?” You asked him, an expression of utter disbelief written all over your face.

Henry shook his head, chuckling at your question as he put his hands on the back of your seat, trapping you between his arms. He brought down his face down to yours. “That’s an easy question, [Your Name]. I happen to like you.” He said, his face mere inches from yours. Your cheeks blushed at his sudden confession, as if your heart was about to jump out of your chest. Then again, you did find him attractive... Aside from his physical features you admired how he’d state his opinion and openly discuss another’s, how he’d always make you laugh when he cracked a joke, and don’t even forget how his blue-green eyes gleamed when he talked of directing. You nodded your head, agreeing to his deal. He smiled, his voice echoing in the cafeteria as he cheered.

From then on, you spent most of your time with him, whether it was to study or just hang out. He continued to read your stories, giving you his opinion and how you could improve on them. You took his criticism to heart, knowing it would probably help you know how people will react to your work when you're already working. He also took you out on dates, always making an effort to take you to some romantic spots he knew about. What you also loved about him was that he never tried anything on you yet, telling you that he respects you and that he’s willing to wait until you’re ready. You couldn’t ask for more from the gentleman sitting opposite you.

You notice that there’s only one page left on your notebook, flipping the page cautiously to prevent it from tearing. The pages were already turning yellowish from age. Henry notices you, his gaze drifting to your notebook. “Need a new one?” He asked you as he closed the book he was reading. You nodded as you stood and started to put your things back inside your bag. “But not now. I’ll need to work a few more hours...” You replied, thinking of your current budget. A few hours of tutoring could give your funds a boost. Henry also put back the book he was reading inside his backpack.

Both of you went out of the library, him being all gentlemanly as he opened the door for you. You slightly giggled at his action, thanking him as you went through the door. He bowed slightly at you, a smile on his face. “I’ll walk you home.” He says, hastening his steps to catch up with you. You nod at him, a smile on your face at his offer. You then ask him if he wanted to eat dinner on the way home, but said that he’d only go if you allowed him to pay for both of your meals. You frown a little, saying that it wasn’t fair if he was the only one who paid. “I insist.” He says, obviously not budging. You sigh, giving up before it turns into an intense argument. “Alright. But dinner’s on me next time.” You tell him, Henry nodding as you walked side-by-side.

Once you already sat inside the restaurant and got your orders, you began talking with him about various things. “How’s production coming?” Henry asks, resting his head on his hand. You sigh, looking down at your wine glass. “I’m still missing my Hamlet...” You reply, thinking of who could you possibly consider as your male lead. You did hold auditions for the part, and although some of them were able to execute the lines properly, it didn’t seem enough for your team. Henry looks up at you with a worried expression, his eyes boring into yours.

“Why don’t I audition?” Henry said, obviously kidding since you knew that he didn’t like acting. He worked better as a director, and you knew it. You laugh at his suggestion, remembering how bad he was when your professor requested everyone to try everything at least once. You all tried your hands at acting, writing and directing. Henry knew how bad he was at acting, and yet he still did it to make you laugh. “There’s that beautiful smile...” He said, a grin on his face at his successful efforts at making you smile. You blush a little, embarrassed about what he just said. Your orders arrive, both of you thanking the waiter who brought it to you.

Once you both finish your meals, you continue walking to your house. “Maybe you should just talk to Mrs. Abbott about it.” Henry said, mentioning your mentor for the whole production. “Maybe I should...” You answer, walking slower since you noticed that you were nearing your home. Mrs. Abbott has been a good mentor to you: always helping out when she can. She told you to bring out the best of your abilities for this, telling you that this was your opportunity to make your mark in the theater industry, and maybe attract some scout's attention. Although you agreed with her, you really wanted to go to America and be a writer for Hollywood. Writing for the best films would be such an honor and working with the best actors would just be a bonus.

“Well... This is my stop.” You say, pausing to retrieve your keys in your bag. Henry stood silent at your side, looking a bit nervous to say what was on his mind. “So... Are you free on Saturday?” He asked, his hands in his coat pockets. Once you found the keys to your apartment, you turned to him, furrowing your brows and cocking your head to the side as you thought if you had something scheduled this weekend. And, indeed, you had: you needed to check the props for the play. “Sorry, Henry. I have to check on the props for the play.” You reluctantly answer, seeing his face turn a bit sad. “Oh... How about next week then?” He asked again, his hands now noticeably moving in a nervous manner while they remained inside his coat pockets. You nod at him, sure that you were free by that time. He smiles, his brows unfurrowing. “It’s a date, then.” You say, smiling at him. You kissed his cheek quickly, saying goodbye before you went inside as you shut the door behind you. That left Henry a bit surprised, since it was rare for you to initiate intimate moments like that. He went home that day with a smile on his face, the memory keeping him awake into the night.

The next few days were hectic, since you were organizing the play with some of the other staff members. You helped with the props, marked where the actors would be standing, and so on. As scheduled, you met with Mrs. Abbot in her favorite café, the woman shaking your hand in greeting. “What seems to be the problem, [Your Name]?” She asked as she was about to sip her tea. You tell her your current problem: not finding the right guy to play Hamlet, and with the doors opening soon... She put a hand on yours, trying to comfort you. Then her eyes lit up, her mouth pulled up into a smile at her idea. She opened her bag and brought out a piece of paper and her pen, writing down a series of numbers that you would guess to be a telephone number. Then she started writing the person’s name: Tom Hiddleston. Your eyes grew wide. ‘She knows Tom...?’ You say, your brows raising in surprise.

“Call this number. I know he’d be willing to do the role for you. Marvelous acting skills, too.” She said, handing over the piece of paper to you. You read the name over and over again, memories of your childhood rushing into your head. “Do you know him, dear?” Mrs. Abbott asks, noticing the surprised look on your face. You nod slowly, telling her that you and Tom once lived in the same neighborhood at Oxford,not going into too much detail. Mrs. Abbott nodded before sipping at her tea again. “Alright. I’ll try calling him. Thank you, Mrs. Abbott.” You say to her, pushing your chair backward as you stood and shook her hand again. You just hope you're ready for what you were about to do...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's chapter 2...
> 
> Aaaand yeah... Henry. Mhmm. Just made up that character in a day... Tall, blue-green eyes, lean physique: you can think of him as a Jared Leto clone, but British. =3=
> 
> Oh, and the chapter title's a Thirty Seconds to Mars reference. (It's part of the lyrics in their song Up In The Air, which I practically listen to everyday)
> 
> P.S. The next chapter's gonna be long, so prepare yourselves.


	3. Long Time No See

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You go home and start contemplating if you should ask Tom for the role, but then Henry goes to your house, telling you that he forgot his umbrella. You let him in, and tell him your troubles. Since this would be the first time that you mentioned who Tom was, he gets jealous. You comfort him, and it took a steamy turn. The next day, you call the number that Mrs. Abbot gave you, Tom answering on the third ring. You introduce yourself as someone Mrs. Abbot knew and asked him if he could meet you next week. He agrees, telling you that your mentor had mentioned you to him. How will he react when he finds out who you really were?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, I had time to finish chapter 3! Sorry for the long wait.
> 
> Enjoy reading, my good lads~

You went home that night, ate dinner and went for a bath. When it was time to sleep, you find yourself just staring at the ceiling, your mind still puzzled whether you should call Tom or not. Even the rain pattering down on your roof didn’t make you feel the least bit drowsy or calm. ‘Maybe a cup of tea will do me good...’ You thought, sitting up and taking the sheets off you as you let your feet dangle off the edge of your bed. You put on your silk robe, make your way to your little kitchen, and filled your kettle with water. You clicked the stove open and put the kettle on, then opened your cupboards to find the box of Earl Grey tea. You leaned on the counter while you waited for the water to heat up, your thoughts still running on the fact that you would have to eventually meet up with Tom. You wanted to make this play perfect so that everyone's talents would equally show.

“It’s been twelve years...” You say, thinking out loud. You recall memories of your time in Oxford, wondering if Tom still had that necklace you bought for him when you left. The telephone in your living room starts ringing, catching your attention. You go and answer it, finding Henry on the other line. “Hello, love? Sorry for waking you up...” He says, breathing deeply into the phone’s transmitter. “No, no. I was actually up for a while now...” You reply, crossing your arms over your chest as you sat on the armchair beside the end table. “Right... Hey listen, can I come over? The rain doesn’t look like it’s letting up ‘till tomorrow, and I seem to have forgotten my umbrella.” He explained. You did notice the little shiver in his voice while he talked... “Oh dear, you poor thing... Just come up here already. Didn’t I give you a key?” You replied, clearly remembering that you did indeed give him a duplicate key for your front door. He did stay with you at times, since your home was nearer to the university than his was. You also had him bring some clothes to your apartment for emergency purposes.

“I do... But I still wanted to ask you first.” He said, his voice toning down a little. You sigh as you hear a whistle in the kitchen: the water was already boiling. “Just get up here. I'm making some tea.” You answered, standing from your seat as you put down the phone before running to the kitchen. You turned off the stove, got a potholder, and lifted the kettle’s handle. You pour out the hot water into the tea pot you had on your table, then set the kettle down in the sink. You hear your doorbell ring as you were about to put tea bags in. “Coming!” You shout, dropping the tea bags into the pot then made your way to your apartment’s front door. You open it, finding Henry drenched from the rain. You don’t say anything and just let him into your home, taking his coat off of him as he bent down and took off his wet shoes and socks.

“Get yourself cleaned up. There are fresh towels in there by the sink.” You say, slightly getting used to this happening. This was the third time that he forgot his umbrella at home. ‘Maybe he was going to be late for class...’ You thought, his wet coat in hand as you made your way to the little laundry room you had. You put the coat in your dryer, still leaving the dryer off since you didn’t have all his drenched clothes yet. You return to your bathroom again to retrieve the rest of his clothes, knocking on the door to ask for entry. Henry gave you a go signal, then you opened the door. The bathroom was steamy from the shower’s hot water, making it a bit hard to see. “My clothes are on the sink.” He said as you retrieved them. You put the rest of his clothes in the dryer and closed it, turning it on. You went back to the kitchen and got the tea bag out of the teapot, also getting some firewood for your fireplace before you set it aflame. You don't want Henry getting a cold again.

Once Henry finished his shower and got dressed, you poured Henry and yourself a cup of tea before you both sat down at your dining table. “Mind telling me why you forgot your umbrella?” You ask, Henry grunting as he explained how he woke up late that morning and telling you (in complete detail) how he ran from his apartment to the train station. You laugh a little while he was talking, almost choking on your tea. But then, Henry started giving you the look: he was getting annoyed, and you knew better than to piss him off.

“How about you, love? What’s keeping you from sleeping?” He asked, sipping his tea as he stared at you and waited for your reply. You’ve never mentioned Tom, since you didn’t think it was necessary. Tom was someone from your past: someone, you thought, who has probably moved on with his life. You breathe deeply, then started telling him that you met with Mrs. Abbott earlier, and that she found a solution for your problem. “Then why do you look so worried?” He asked, standing up and bringing his chair nearer to where you were. He then looked you in the eye and urged you to tell him what was troubling you. You decided to tell him, realizing that you should tell him everything now. “Mrs. Abbott suggested I look for this guy. And you couldn’t imagine how surprised I was when I found out who it was...” You started, going into detail about who Tom was and who he was to you. As you told your story, Henry began fidgeting in his seat and started fiddling with the cup in his hands: all with a worried and jealous look on his face. Silence was the only thing that met you once you finished.

“Why didn’t you tell me before?” Henry asked, his voice turning a bit husky. He sounded different: not the usual, calm and collected Henry you knew. “I felt like I didn’t need to tell you... And besides, that was years ago. I was still a child then, Henry.” You calmly answer as you stood from your seat, taking both of your cups to the sink. Henry followed behind you, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed. “Yes, you were. But love is... A very complicated thing, [Your Name].” Henry replied, his gaze dropping to the floor as he frowned. You finish cleaning up in silence, dried your hands, and then went to Henry. You reach for his face, forcing him to look at you.

“Henry, you’re the one I'm with now. I haven’t seen Tom ever since we moved to Edinburgh. I don’t even remember how he looks like anymore.” You tell him, your [Your Eye Color] eyes gazing at his blue-green ones as your hands caressed his cheeks in comfort. He sighed, resting his forehead against yours. “That’s... More comforting than you think.” He replied, finally smiling as he held your hands in his. You smile back at him, pulling his face closer so you could kiss him softly. He kissed back, his hand going around your waist to pull you closer to deepen the kiss. You smirk, crossing your arms around his neck as if you could still pull him closer than you already were. You both pull away, both of your faces flushed as you gasped for air. You guided Henry to your bedroom, the man dragging you in for another kiss. Once you separated for air, he rested his forehead on yours, gasping for breath before asking you, "You sure about this, [Your Name]? I understand-" he tried saying, before you smash your lips on him and pushing him onto your bed. "I'm pretty sure about this, Henry." you replied, stradling him as you removed your robe and night gown. Henry was gentle with you, as if he was afraid of breaking you. You were sure that this man loves you to the core, and you thanked the heavens for bringing him into your life.

You woke up earlier than Henry did, deciding to cook breakfast for the both of you. You were about to sit up from your bed, only to have Henry pull you by the waist towards him. “A few more minutes, love...” He mumbled, his hand lazily lying around your waist as his lips kissed the back of your neck, making you shiver slightly. You giggled, gently pulling his arm off of your waist as you tried to stand. “I don’t have any problems with that... But didn’t you say that you had class today?” You pointed, placing a hand on his cheek and caressing it. Henry’s eyes cracked open a little, a groan escaping his lips as he looked towards your open bedroom window. He lets you go this time, letting you stand from the bed. You tried finding something to cover you up, going with Henry’s discarded shirt for now. You put it on and make your way to the kitchen as you thought of what to cook: eggs and bacon sounded good. You also remember that you had half a loaf of bread left in your breadbox, and some instant coffee in your cupboards. ‘It’s no English breakfast, but it’ll do.’ You thought.

Once in the kitchen, you started cooking right away. You fried the bacon and eggs, toasted some bread on a pan and heated up some water for your coffee. You hear footsteps padding your way, knowing that it was Henry. You look behind you and see the man half-naked, only wearing those pajama pants you gave him last Christmas. “Sleep well, love?” You ask, turning back to the stove and reaching for the spatula so you could flip the eggs that were currently cooking. You hear him laugh behind you as you felt his arms going around your waist, his chin resting on your shoulder. “What are you talking about? I barely slept...” He replied, whispering right at your ear before kissing your cheek. You giggle as you shook your head, blushing because of what he just said. ‘This guy will be the death of me...’ You thought, the events of last night already replaying in your head. You even had to try thinking of something else just to keep yourself from attacking him then and there.

“Eggs and bacon?” He asked, letting you go as he looked at the pan. You nod, asking him to get you two plates. He did so, and you put the cooked food on both plates. You then proceeded to toast the bread on your pan, putting on two slices first. That was when you heard crunching beside you, fully knowing who was eating. You look at Henry silently, your brow raised. “What? I love bacon...” He guiltily mentioned while he was chewing on a piece of bacon. “I know. That’s why I cooked it in the first place.” You answer, smiling at how he got guilty so fast when it came to food, but then your eyes linger on his body. You didn’t how he managed to keep his body toned, since you've noticed that he loves food. You turn your gaze back to the slightly burning bread on the pan, quickly putting it on the plate once you realized it was even burning. Henry laughed while he was stirring in instant coffee into your cups, noticing your flushed face. Once you got everything on the plates, you both sat down beside each other at the table and ate.

“So... You’re probably gonna call Tom now, huh?” You hear Henry say as you bite a piece. You nod regrettably, chewing the bread that now filled your mouth. You didn’t want to ask for Tom’s help, but it seems that you have to for the sake of your play running smoothly. “It’s not like I want to, but I have to... A lot of people are counting on me.” You answer before sipping your coffee, smiling up at him while your other hand rubbed his leg to try to ease his worries. The blue-green eyed man stared deeply into your [Your Eye Color] orbs, cracking a smile when he recognized your sincerity. After that episode, you both get ready for the day: Henry had his classes, while you had to call Tom for a meeting before you go help with preparations for the play. Henry went on his way first, since he had a class at ten in the morning, while you stayed behind.

Once you were dressed, you went to a telephone booth near your apartment, bringing out the piece of paper that contained Tom’s number. You put some coins into the slot, dialed the number, and breathed deeply as the phone rang. You hear someone pick up on the other line, surprise hitting you hard as you tried thinking of something to say as a man you assume to be Tom said a questioning hello. “Y-yes, hello? Is this Tom Hiddleston?” You ask, feeling yourself get a little nervous as you waited for him to answer. “Yes, this is he. Who am I speaking to?” He replied as you twirled the phone wire around your fingers. “Uh... This is [Your Name]. [Your Name] [Your Surname]. Mrs. Abbott said that I should talk to you about a role I need for a play?” You nervously answered, hoping that he won’t remember your name. He suddenly pauses for a few seconds, before saying that he did remember your mentor mentioning you to him. ‘Good... He doesn’t seem to remember me.’ You thought to yourself, feeling slightly better that he didn’t remember who you were. There was still a tiny bit of you that felt hurt that he didn’t remember, though. But who are you to him now, anyway? Nothing, probably, since you haven’t seen each other in years.

You try and ask him when and where he would want you two to meet up, Tom saying that he’d be free on Saturday at noon. “We can meet at Mrs. Abbott’s favorite café.” He added, you agreeing to it as you wrote the details at the back of the paper you were holding. You also exchanged cellphone numbers, since you would probably need to contact him. You thank him and say goodbye, but then he continued speaking. “[Your Name] [Your Surname]... Your name seems familiar. Have we met before?” He asks, taking you by surprise. “I don’t think so, Mr. Hiddleston... Sorry, I really have to go. I have to help the others with the play. I’ll see you on Saturday.” You say, rudely ending the call before he could even say goodbye. From that day, you felt like you weren’t really yourself, often zoning out when you were talking with your staff. Henry also seemed to notice, since you were being too quiet at times. You tell him that you were fine, and thta he shouldn't worry about it.

Time flew by without you noticing, and it was already Saturday. You put your hands in your coat pockets, getting all the more nervous as you neared the café. You look at your watch and check the time: it was thirty minutes till your scheduled meeting time. ‘Of course, I’m early... This is just great.’ You thought as you tried to shake off your nervousness. You thought of buying a cup of Earl Grey tea later to make you feel at least a little less jittery. You arrive at your destination, pushing the glass doors open as you went inside the café. The smell of coffee in the air calmed you a bit as you lined up at the counter to get your order taken. Once you got your order, you find a seat at the back of the café and sipped on your tea as you checked your phone for any messages.

You see that you’ve received two messages: one from Henry, and another from an anonymous number. You opened Henry’s message, which roughly read:

_Don’t forget about tonight, love! I’m taking you out to dinner at your favorite restaurant. Cheers! XOXO_

You smile to yourself as you read on, replying with:

_Of course, love. Can’t wait! <3_

You hit the ‘Send’ button, still smiling in excitement for later. Dates with Henry were guaranteed worthwhile for you both, since he made an effort to research on the places that you went to.

You then read the message with the unknown number. It said:

_Hey [Your Name], this is Tom. I’m on my way, but I might run a little late. Sorry._

You tell him that it’s fine, since it was a little early before lunch. You wait, going over the script that you had in your bag. You silently hope that he doesn’t come in that late, since you still had to dress up for your date with Henry later. Your phone vibrates, indicating that you’ve just received a message. You open it, seeing that it was a message from Tom.

_I’m here. Where are you?_

It said, making the tea you drank earlier useless as you looked up and tried to find him. Then you see a tall curly-haired blonde at the café’s entrance, his eyes as blue as the Thames. ‘Yup... Definitely hasn’t changed a bit... Physically, at least.’ You thought, a nervous smile on your face as you waved him over. He looks your way, standing still as his eyes grew wide at the sight of you. ‘Oh crap...’ You thought, knowing that look all too well, he still looked so baffled when he realized something. He slowly walks toward you, his eyes squinting as if he was comparing a mental image he had of you. “... [Your Name]?” He asked, surprise written all over his face as memories of your childhood ran through both of your thoughts. You look down, trying to hide your face although you knew it was useless. He would’ve remembered who you were by now.

You hold out your hand, initiating a handshake. “Long time no see, Mr. Hiddleston.” You say, deciding not to lie about who you were anymore. You wanted to act professional about this whole thing, not letting personal feelings get in the way of your work. He looks at the hand you offered, then back at your face. A moment passes and he still hasn’t shook your hand, so you withdrew your hand back to your side. “Okay... Why don’t we sit down?” You ask, pointing toward the table you were sitting at a while ago as Tom took a few steps closer. You didn’t notice how close he was until his shadow fell on you, making you look up to his face. He just stood there, staring at you as if he was familiarizing himself with every detail of your face. “Is… Something wrong?” You ask, your walls still high up as you tried to feign ignorance of what you knew he felt.

You suddenly feel his arms go around your shoulders, pulling you in a tight hug as if he was clinging onto life itself. He buried his head on the crook of your neck, breathing deeply with a big smile on his face. “I’ve found you at last...” He whispered, making you feel as if time had stopped around you. Tom Hiddleston has made his way back into your life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whelp, that's chapter 3, leaving you hanging... Unfortunately, i don't know if I'll be able to upload chapter 4 by next week, since midterms are coming. Sorry, loves~ :(


	4. Meeting You Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that you have Tom Hiddleston back in your life, you ask him if he could play as the male lead for your play. He constantly shifts the topic to what you’ve currently been up to, while you tried to remain professional. You receive a message from Henry, saying that he got out of class early and that he wanted to come where you were. You don’t see any harm in letting him come, so you told him that you were at the café. You never told Tom about your relationship, so it was a big surprise when Henry turned up at the café. Will feelings clash?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys~ 
> 
> Thank you for the wonderful comments I've gotten~
> 
> Sorry for the late update... I had school-related things to prioritize.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy reading~

You lightly push Tom off of you, realizing that you’ve been hugging for too long. You clear your throat again and hurriedly made your way to your seat. Tom followed behind you closely, a smile still stuck to his face at learning who you were. You sat at the chair in the far corner, while he sat opposite you. Both of you just sit there, Tom still staring at you as if you were the most intriguing thing to him at that moment. You rub the back of your neck, your cheeks turning into a pinkish hue at how embarrassed you were feeling. Tom found it cute, a chuckle escaping his mouth as your gaze fell to the floor.

A few moments pass, you decide to initiate a conversation. “So... Mrs. Abbott said that you were a good actor.” You quickly say, crossing your arms as you tried to act professionally about all this. You knew Henry wouldn’t really get angry at you for talking to him, since you did mention that you needed Tom's help badly. Tom still smiled at you like an idiot before answering you. “That’s what Mrs. Abbott told me...” He replied, a slight smile still on his face while he started fiddling with his fingers. You nod, hurriedly searching for the script you had written. The notebook Tom gave you got in the way of finding it, so you had no choice but to put it on the table. Once Tom saw it, his eyebrows shot up as he stilled. He reached for it while you were about to pull out the script, his fingers touching the leather-bound notebook he gave you years ago.

“I see you’ve kept it... Are these all yours?” He says, looking at how many sticky notes you’ve put to bookmark every idea to match each genre you wrote. You nodded slowly, sliding the slightly thick script in front of Tom. “Here’s the script for you to read. I trust Mrs. Abbott’s decision regarding you joining the production. All we need to know is if you’re willing to play the role.” You reply, hurriedly reaching for your notebook once Tom set it down on the table to reach for the script. He scanned through it, flipping through the papers smoothly as he focused intently. You sat there, silently hoping that he would agree to it so you could get started on rehearsals.

Tom was about to give you his decision as your phone blared off, startling the both of you. You take out your phone from your pocket, seeing Henry’s name on the caller ID. You excuse yourself, since the café was too crowded at this time. “Hello, love. What’re you up to?” Henry said as you accepted the call. Hearing his voice made you smile, which caught Tom’s attention. “Hey, Henry. Just talking to Tom here at the café... I might run a little late for later.” You reply, Tom continuing his reading as you talked a bit on the phone with Henry. Tom looked like he was reading the script, but he was really sort of listening to your conversation. He realized how rude he sounded, so decided to try and focus more on the script in front of him.“You sure? I’m around the area... Maybe I should come there so we can go straight to Corrigan’s?” He suggested, making you tense up. “Don’t worry, [Your Name]. I won’t do anything stupid.” He said reassuringly, knowing that you were going to meet up with Tom that afternoon. You sigh, letting him go to where you were. It would be easier for you anyway, since it was getting a bit late.

You let down the phone, quickly turning your attention back toward Tom. “Henry?” Tom asked, closing the script since he’s finished reading it. Of course, he was listening in. You tell him that it was someone important, not letting out any more information. Tom’s eyebrows were all scrunched up, showing how annoyed he was at your reply. You felt guilty at keeping the truth from him, but you just didn’t want to complicate the situation with him and Henry. “Anyway, I’m guessing you were the one who made this?” Tom said, pointing toward the script you made. You nod, and ask him what he thinks of it. “It’s actually good. You give people a glimpse of something new, but you didn’t remove a single essence of Shakespeare. I’m impressed.” He answered, his elbows resting on the table as he talked. You smile a little, that lump in your throat disappearing for a while as you sigh. He finally says that he’s willing to do the role for you, your face lighting up as you heard the words come out of his mouth.

“Thank you, Tom! I’ll never forget this.” You say, clapping your hands together in satisfaction. You tell him that rehearsals are in a few days, and wrote down the theater’s address on a piece of paper for him. “Here’s where we’ll be rehearsing. And please try not to be late.” You say, handing out the piece of paper to the tall blonde. You thought he was reaching for the paper. Instead, he lightly held your hand in his as he looked deeply into your eyes. You were clearly taken by surprise, the sudden warmth of Tom’s hand on yours making your eyes shoot up. “I did promise you that I’ll be seeing you in a few years... Although it took longer than I thought, I still found you.” He said, a laugh escaping his lips as his thumb rubbed the back of your hand as if he’s making sure that you were really here, sitting in front of him. Your gaze falls to the floor, smiling a little as you recalled that time when you were about to leave Oxford.

You suddenly see a familiar silhouette standing a few paces behind Tom, making you retract your hand. Henry was already there. You looked up once you realized it, suddenly standing to greet him with a kiss. Now, it was Tom’s turn to be surprised. You didn’t really tell him who Henry was to you, since you deemed it unnecessary for him to know. “Tom, this is Henry, my boyfriend.” You say, Tom standing to greet the man that was beside you. “Tom Hiddleston.” He said, smiling a little as he held out his hand. “Henry. Henry Adams.” Henry answered, smiling as he took Tom’s hand and shook it. Although both men were smiling, you still felt slight tension in the air. It made you want to leave the café and get on your merry way.

After a few moments of silence, Henry let go of Tom’s hand and turned to you. “You ready to go, love?” He asked, putting his hands inside his coat pockets. “We were just finishing up, love. Let me just get my things so we can go.” You replied, going back to the table to get your things. Once you got back to your table, you put the script that was on the table into your bag and slung it on your shoulder.

While you made your way back to where the boys were standing, you noticed that Tom and Henry were talking. Henry’s face was all serious while Tom’s lips were pulled up into a smirk, making you curious to know what they were talking about. When you got close enough though, they stopped, and Henry took your bag from you. You turn to Tom, briefly telling him good bye and that you’ll be seeing him during rehearsals. He nodded, telling you that it was nice to finally see you again, a sad smile on his face. “Let’s go, love. Oh, and it was nice meeting you, Mr. Hiddleston.” Henry said, putting his hand on your waist as he guided you out of the café.

The walk to the train station was quiet, making you think about what Tom and Henry were talking about back at the café. When you get on the train, however, you just couldn’t contain it anymore and just asked Henry upfront. “What were you talking about earlier back there?” You ask him, your hands fiddling with your bag’s strap. Henry shook his head, saying that it was nothing and that you didn’t need to worry about it. You still felt anxious, so you continued to ask him about it. You knew that you were being so annoying about it, but you just couldn’t stop thinking about it. Henry sighed, rubbing his temple as he decided to tell you. “He told me to take care of you or someone else might take you away.” He said, his voice reducing into a whisper by the end of his statement.

“... Do you want to know what I told him?” Henry suddenly asked, taking you out of your trance by diverting your attention. He held your hands in his, rubbing circles on them as he looked down. You ask him why, holding his hands in return. “... I told him that I trust you. I trust that you won’t break everything that we’ve built together. I trust in our love.” Henry gazed at you, his lips pulling up into a smile as he brought his lips to the back of your hand. You were now grinning from ear to ear, happy about what he said. Henry trusted you wholeheartedly, and you would do everything to not break that trust.

Dinner went by quietly, you and Henry enjoying each other’s company. You both talked about how your day went, carefully dodging the time you met Tom. You couldn’t deny that the blonde crossed your mind every now and again, even though you were on a date with Henry. You thought of how much he’s changed since you were children: those blonde curly locks were as wild as ever, and he got taller than he was back when you were teenagers. You sipped your wine, trying to focus your attention on Henry. After your meal, you took your time walking to the subway, Henry eventually holding your hand as you walked. Your journey home was quiet but sweet, Henry kissing you goodnight on your doorstep before he himself went home. It was quite late, so the first thing that went through your mind was to get showered and ready for bed. You slept like a baby that day, tired from your day.

Tom, however, couldn’t sleep. He was just staring at the ceiling, his eyes wide open as he thought of your meeting earlier. He kept thinking of how much you’ve changed. He thought of how [Your Hair Length] your [Your Hair Color] hair was, how your [Your Eye Color] eyes grew wide when you saw him for the first time in years, and how you’ve treated him like any other coworker you had. He found it weird, since you would greet him with a bear hug back then. Then he remembered Henry, and how jealous he got when he saw you kiss his cheek. He brought his hand over his face, laughing a little at his realization: he was in love. He always was. From the moment you left Oxford, all he could think about was you. Sure, there were some moments that his attention was diverted, but he still constantly thought of a [Your Hair Color]-haired girl who always vouched for him. And so he worked harder, thinking that he would cross paths with you again because of your related careers. And indeed, he did, but he seemed too late.

He’s never felt so selfish about something before, thinking of breaking yours and Henry’s relationship. But he knows that one thing’s clear in his mind: he’ll do whatever it takes to make you his. Forcing you was out of the context, of course. He’s not that kind of man. So he thought of something that would be fair: he would make you fall in love with him. What he doesn’t know is that you were already halfway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand that's a wrap for Chapter 4...
> 
> Sorry if it sucked a little, since I really just wrote this during breaks so this chapter seemed the most fucked...
> 
> Oh well.
> 
> Thanks for reading~


	5. This Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom tries to make you fall for him again, working even harder to impress you by showing how far he’s come with his acting. You stare there impressed, but still limit your interactions with him. He doesn’t keep away though, and makes you doubt your love for Henry even more. Will you give in?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, people~  
> Sorry for not updating for the past week.... School work and the usual whatnot.  
> Anyway, here's chapter 5.

It’s already been a few months into rehearsals, and things were going well. The props were all done, and the actors and actresses seem to get their lines right. You’re really thankful that you’ve asked for Tom’s help, because he’s been a great addition to the cast. He was never late for a single rehearsal, and he often stayed late with the crew to help them pack up for the day. You were the script writer, so your job was pretty much done. You just needed to watch rehearsals, and be there if the director wants to change something in the script. Of course, you needed to talk to Tom sometimes, but you never did talk to him about anything outside of work.

You were actually impressed by Tom’s acting, staring at him in awe as he acted out and released his lines as if the actual play was really happening. He even caught you staring at him sometimes, making you look away while he had that smug look on his face. You remembered how he was when you were children, still a rookie at acting. He practiced almost day and night, even dragging you to practice at times. You then recall that theater you always visited back when you were in Oxford, the place that held treasured memories for the both of you.

There were many times that the crew had to stay up late to practice some more, but one specific night stuck out and made you even more confused of your feelings.

“I’m really sorry, love. It’s just that we’ve come across a slight problem with the equipment...” You hear Henry say through the phone. You totally understood, since some problems are inevitable during production. “It’s alright, Henry. I’ll just walk home with the others.” You answered, leaning against the table as you smiled sadly. Tom was watching you closely, seeing the slightly sad expression on your face as you talked on the phone. You caught him staring as he sipped at the cup of coffee he was holding, his eyes looking elsewhere. Once you muttered a goodbye and a quick ‘I love you’ to Henry, you ended the call as a sigh escaped your lips. Tom took that as a type of go-signal, and walked near you.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, sipping on his coffee. You look at him, unsure if you should tell him. “... Henry’s too busy to walk me home.” You reply, looking away from him as you glance among your co-staff, thinking of who you should walk home with. “I can walk you home. Where do you live?” Tom asked, making you look at him with questioning eyes. You don’t reply long, looking at him to somehow guess his intentions. “It’s pretty late, you know... And there’ve been some reports of muggings lately.” He explained, making you cringe a little as you remembered all those reports on the news. You hesitate a little, but then tell him where you lived. “I just live a few blocks away. I’ll walk you home.” Tom answered, the smile on his face making his excitement obvious. You raised an eyebrow, looking at him as if you knew he was suspiciously planning something. He had the same cheeky look when he took you to Port Meadow. You nod, thanking him silently.

Rehearsals were now over, and you and Tom were now walking home. The silence between the two of you was deafening, bringing off an awkwardness in the air. You couldn’t take it, so you initiated the conversation.

“You did good back there. Your acting, I mean.” You compliment him, Tom’s attention on you as you walked side by side. “Thank you.” He answered, a smile on his face at your compliment. Silence again.

“... You were watching, so I naturally felt the need to do better.” He added, his hands in his coat pockets as he glanced at you. You looked at him, your eyes meeting his as you fiddled with your bag strap. You didn’t notice him come a bit near you as you both walked, just enough to make your arms brush against each other. It made your heart beat nervously, one feeling that you didn’t like at the moment. You knew why you were getting nervous, and you hated it. You hated the fact that your heart would still beat this hard when you’re near Tom. You felt your conscience getting eaten bit by bit, wondering how Henry would react once you told him what you felt.

You slightly step to the side, allowing a little more distance between the two of you. You look forward and sigh in relief, realizing that you were nearing your apartment building. You unzip your bag as you walked, searching its pockets for your keys. Apparently, you were too distracted to even notice that there was someone walking toward you. Tom pulled you just in time, making you lose your balance and fall onto his chest. “Sorry!” The man shouted toward you as he continued walking to where he was headed. You nod at him, acknowledging his apology as you pushed yourself off of Tom and regained your balance.

You breathe deeply, trying to regain your composure. “Thanks for that, Tom.” You say, searching your bag again for your house keys. “No problem. Just try to watch where you’re going next time.” He answered as you found your key ring. You both continued walking toward your house, silence still in the air. Your heart was beating twice as fast than it was earlier, your thoughts drifting to the events that transpired earlier. You shouldn’t be this tense with another man. You shouldn't be feeling those butterflies in your stomach when Henry wasn't around. You felt so guilty, as if you were cheating on him already. And weren’t you? Your heart was still beating so fast when you were around Tom. You grunt frustratingly, the sudden noise you made making Tom glance at you. You look at him and tell him that it was nothing, shrugging it off. Maybe you’ll think this over while you’re in the shower...

Your mood lightens up a little when you see your apartment building’s front porch. When you reach the bottom of the stairs, you stop and turn to Tom. “Well... This is my stop. Thanks again for walking me home.” You quickly say before hopping onto the first step of the stairs. That was until you felt your arm being pulled slightly, making you glance back toward the tall blonde behind you. Blue orbs locked onto your [Your Eye Color] ones, stopping your movements. And that was the exact moment that your phone blared off, startling you both. “Excuse me for a while...” You say, Tom letting go of your arm so you could answer your phone.

You look at the caller ID, and quickly answer it once you knew that it was Henry. “You already home, love?” He asked, a worried tone in his voice. “Yeah, love. Tom walked me home. I was just saying goodbye to him.” You answered, a long silence between the two of you before Henry spoke again. “Oh. Alright then. I’ll see you tomorrow morning, alright?” Henry said, his tone lower as he talked. “Okay then. Love you.” You reply, Henry also saying his goodbye and a quick ‘Love you too.’ You close your phone and slip it into your pocket again, turning to Tom. “Well, you should probably go home now. Thanks again.” You say, going up the stairs as you find the front door’s key.

“... Are you in love with him?” Tom suddenly asked from behind you, making you stop in your tracks. You turn to him quickly, still awestruck from what he said. He had a serious face on, his hands in his coat pockets as he patiently waited for your reply. The moon lit him up just right too, his blue eyes sparkling in the night. He looked so beautiful... You shook your head and blinked a few times, knowing full well that he was talking about Henry. You look down, then gazed back at him. “Of course, I do. More than anything.” You replied, your voice reducing to a whisper by the end of what you said. “... You’re sure?” He asked again, this time doubting your love for Henry. You sigh, rubbing your forehead. “Why ask me all of a sudden?” You ask back, your voice rising a little in annoyance.

Tom smirked, saying that it was just nothing and that he just wanted to know if the feelings you had for your current boyfriend were genuine. You grunted, making Tom laugh, before going up the stairs and opening the front door. “I’ll be seeing you tomorrow then, [Your Name].” Tom says, making you turn around and nod at him. You go inside and close the door, leaning on it as you thought of what just happened outside. ‘This is going to be a long night...’ You thought, making your way upstairs and into your apartment. You had your hot shower and went straight to bed, feeling a bit drained from Tom's questions.

Tom just stood in front of your porch, his hands in his coat pockets as he looked up at your window. He heard thunder growling, making him look up at the sky, before it started drizzling. The skies looked to be in the same mood as he was. He walked home, not bothering to hurry home since he wanted to bask in misery for a while. What you had told him ran through his head constantly, Tom recalling your actions and how you looked right at that moment. Your eyes were sincere, but your breathing told him that you sounded a bit nervous. He sighed, knowing that he'd have to work harder to get your attention and do what he needs to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ack!  
> Please forgive me, it's sooooo badly plotted.  
> I got chapter 6 plotted on my mind though, so expect it in a few days or so.


	6. Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days more, and you were already opening the theater's doors to the audience in a few hours. You thought you were more nervous than those acting on stage, but then Tom tries to calm you down.
> 
> The play goes smoothly, making you very proud of your staff and your work itself. Henry then shows up out of nowhere, a surprise up his sleeve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone~
> 
> Firstly, I would like to apologize for the HUGE delay in uploading... I had to fix some things at my school before anything else.
> 
> Second, I am very thankful that you guys like this story. Your comments mean the world to me.
> 
> So here's a new update on the story! Sorry if it'll be a little vague, as I've just come from the worst writer's block ever.

Rehearsals continued for another month, and before you knew it, it’s the day of your play. You were nervously sitting backstage while the others were running back and forth, making sure that everything was in position for later. You stand from your seat and thought you’d get some tea to calm your nerves, when you see Tom already dressed in the princely garb that your costume designer made for him. You just stare there for a minute, drinking in the sight of the tall blonde, as he walked toward you. He wore a modern-looking blue leather doublet and a pair of dark brown pants with black boots to match. You get out of your trance when you heard him laugh at your awestruck face, making your cheeks flush in embarrassment.

Since that time Tom took you home, you noticed that he started working harder than he already was. He tried talking to you more, but this time, you were perfectly fine with it. You started telling him more personal things with him, even trying to act casually with him as if you were children again. It made him incredibly happy. You were getting closer again, and that gave him a slight glimmer of hope that you'd eventually fall for him. Even though he didn’t know that he already has half of your heart, he still made sure that you were happy when he was around you.

“Y-you look dashing.” You say, clearing your throat as you looked down, trying to hide your blushing cheeks. Tom chuckled, raising the collar of his doublet as you brought your gaze back up to him. You look elsewhere, your attention now on the growing number of people that were getting seated outside. It made the butterflies in your stomach flutter again, making you nervous as your palms began sweating. Tom looked at where you were looking, apparently getting nervous as well when he saw the amount of people coming inside the theater. “Aren’t those your parents?” Tom suddenly points out, making you look around to find them. He was right. Your parents were indeed there, glancing around the stage as if they were looking for you. You immediately went around the curtain, running toward where they were while Tom followed closely behind you.

“What’re you guys doing here!?” You asked, hugging both of your parents tightly. Your father chuckled, rubbing your back as your mother did the same. “Henry actually called us up and told us that your play was on today, so here we are...” Your mother replied, her gaze falling on the tall man behind you. “Tom Hiddleston, is that you? Gosh, you’ve grown!” Your mother exclaimed as she walked toward the tall blonde, surprise apparent on her face. You hear Tom chuckle, bowing at your parents’ direction in greeting.

The short reunion was interrupted with your director already calling both of you backstage. You turn to your parents, told them you’ll be seeing them later, and then decided to push Tom toward the stairs that led up behind the curtain. Tom immediately went to where he was supposed to enter, and you stayed behind the curtain to watch.

The play went smoothly, all of the actors and actresses playing out their characters almost perfectly. Tom was as great as he was during rehearsals, giving his all as he recited all his lines with fiery passion. Your eyes actually began to water towards the end of the play, thinking of all those sleepless nights you had to write the script. Henry was your only source of support then, comforting you when you began breaking down. He also made sure that you still took care of yourself, cooking you food at times or bringing you some takeout. Remembering your boyfriend made you think of his whereabouts. Your parents told you that it was Henry that told them about your play, but where was he?

You hear the audience’s applause outside, signaling the play’s end. You peek at the stage from behind the curtain, seeing the actors and actresses line up and take a bow before the audience. That was when you felt hands behind you, pushing you toward the stage. “Come on, [Your Name]! Let’s get out there!” You hear your director say from behind you as you try to resist his push. He still got you out to the stage though, pushing you behind the actors and actresses. “Bloody hell, Mark!” You whispered, getting angry at your director, which caught Tom’s attention. Tom then pulls at yours and Mark’s wrist, putting the both of you in front of them. “Our director, Mark Lukes, and our writer, [Your Name] [Your Surname]!” Tom proudly shouted as he clapped his hands, the audience’s cheers getting louder as they saw you and Mark. You saw your parents cheer for you, along with some friends of yours in the audience. It made you sigh in happiness, seeing that all your hard work paid off. You just wish that Henry saw all of it...

A few seconds go by, and you see the crowd looking toward the aisle to your right. You look there too, finding a smiling Henry holding a bouquet of flowers. Shock overcame you as he made his way toward you, climbing up the stage. He kissed your cheek as he handed you the flowers. “Where’ve you been!?” You questionned, hugging him as tightly as you could. You actually thought he was losing interest in you, since both of you didn’t see much of each other during the past month. “You have no idea, love...” Henry replied, chuckling as he let go of you. He then signaled the crowd to stop their applause, nothing but questions in your head as his eyes locked onto yours again.

“I know that we’ve both been busy for the past month, but I guess that prepared me for this.” He said, clearing his throat. “I don’t-” You tried replying, only to have Henry raise his hand for you to stop. “Let me finish...” He whispered, you nodding at him. “[Your Name], the past two years have been amazing with you. And I was wondering...” He exclaimed, before dropping to one knee in front of you as he brought out a small box from his back pocket. “... If you’d like to be my wife?” He added, people gasping all around you as you held your breath, your hand covering your mouth in awe. So that’s why he’d been so distant for the past month...

Your eyes started tearing up, nodding your head as you shouted “YES!”, making the crowd cheer as Henry slid the ring onto your finger, a big smile on his face as he stood and hugged you tightly. You hugged him back with the same force, burying your face on his neck. “I love you, [Your Name]...” Henry whispered in your ear, making you close your eyes as your tears began to fall. “I love you too, Henry...” You answered, smiling as you tried to stop more tears from falling. When you open your eyes, you saw what you thought you wouldn't see again. Tom's eyes were filled with an unimaginable sorrow, tears brimming in his eyes as he looked away from you and went backstage. The last time you remembered you saw him so heartbroken was when you left for Edinburgh. You wanted to go after him badly. You wanted to ask him why he looked so hopeless out there. You have to know if you've done anything wrong.

A few weeks after the play, you still haven't seen Tom. You tried calling him a few times, but it always went to the answering machine. It was obvious that he didn't want to talk, but you did. You called for weeks, eventually giving up when you became busy again since your parents were in town.

The play made it through the papers, everyone’s names written in an article on the front page: an exceptional script, exceptional performers and an exceptional staff. It didn’t take long for you to receive calls, offers from all around coming to you. One job offer stuck out: it was for a new scriptwriting job. But then, you’d have to be assigned to the Los Angeles branch of the said company. You’d hoped that you’d get assigned in Hollywood, but you never knew that it would be this early.

The first thing you remember to do was talk to Henry about it, mentioning it to him right after you received the call. He was ecstatic, telling you that the offer was great and that you should take it. “What about you? Are you sure about getting into a long distance relationship with me?” You asked, your voice reducing to a whisper as you fiddled with your nails. Henry took your hand into his, kissing it as he smiled. “This is your dream, isn’t it? Why would I keep you from it, when it’s already in front of you?” He answered, looking onto your [Your Eye Color] eyes. You then smile, hugging him tightly as you muttered a ‘Thank you’. You then set a meeting with your possibly new employer.

The meeting was to your advantage, and your new boss seems satisfied with your work. Once you got your diploma, you started packing you things, among them was the notebook that Tom gave you. You stared at it, wondering where he was at the time, before shoving it into your luggage. 'Never know when I might need that...' you thought to yourself. Henry was helping you pack, but he didn’t seem to notice the sad look on your face as you did. Before you know it, you’re already at the airport, hugging Henry tightly as you tried not to cry. “Hey, hey! Don’t worry, love... I’m going to visit you there. It may take a little more time, but I’m sure I will.” Henry said, holding your face in his hands as he brought his lips to yours. He then lets you go, smiling as he waved goodbye as you made your way through the airport.

‘This is it... I’m getting my dream.’ You think to yourself as you sat inside the plane, your thoughts drifting to Tom yet again. Where was he? How was he doing? Heck, you don’t really know. But you knew that he would be very happy right now, knowing how much you wanted to be writer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaand that's it... I had to rush a bit though. I'll probably upload the next one in a week or so... So you guys just stay put~


	7. Complicated (Part I)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You come back to England after years of working in L.A. You then hear about Tom’s new relationship, making your mind race. Your parents tell you that they’ll be looking for a home in Suffolk, and you come along. Little you know, you’d be face-to-face with Tom again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god, I owe you guys this chapter.... Just took a break from writing because school. I apologize for the long wait~

After years of working your ass off in L.A., you finally had the time to relax for at least a month or two before your next job. You go on your laptop and booked a ticket for London, making sure that you get a ticket for tomorrow. Once they confirmed that your ticket was now reserved, you decide to pack your things. You pack more of your sweaters, since you knew that it would be a little chilly in England during this time of year. You were dragging out a few clothes from your dresser, when you see the old notebook Tom gave you when you were younger. You flipped through the yellowed pages, forgetting why you brought it with you in the first place, since it was practically filled to the brim when you left for L.A.

“... Might as well take this back home,” you say, shoving it inside your messenger bag, thinking that it would be a bad idea to store it in your suitcase without crushing it. Your mind then wondered if Tom was doing alright. You’ve followed his career: from when he debuted as Loki in Thor, to his role as Jonathan Pine in The Night Manager. Heck, you even had a copy of every film and series he starred in. You thought it was weird of you to do so, since he just left and cut all communication with you when you got engaged. You had to admit, though: you missed talking to him. You missed seeing his face crunch up as he listened to you intently, laughing occasionally at the things you said.

You continue packing your things, making sure that you didn’t leave anything that you would be needing. Once you zipped up your suitcase, you ate lunch and decided to call your parents. You dial your mother’s number, waiting for her to pick up. “Hello, [Your Name] dear?” She answered, excitement in her voice. You smile at her reaction, giving her an equally excited ‘Hello’. “I’m coming home tomorrow, Mum. Can you and Dad fetch me at the airport?” You tell her, going out to your balcony as you talked. “Of course, [Your Name]! What time are you going to be here?” She asked, making you check your laptop again before telling her. “Alright, love. We’ll see you till then!” She replied, you giving her an ‘okay’ before ending the call.

You woke up early the next day, taking a cab straight to the airport. You then check in and wait for your plane, settling down on a chair while listening to [Your Favorite Artist] on your iPod. A few more minutes pass, and you hear your flight number being called. You got up, and made your way to you designated boarding gate. While walking, you saw a group of people huddled together, their cameras hanging from their necks as they were looking out the airport’s windows. You shrug it off, thinking that it was just another celebrity taking a flight to God-knows-where. You continue walking and board your plane, sitting down on your designated seat as you looked out the window. You spot a jet a little ways where your plane was, making you curious as to who owned the large vehicle. You wait a few more minutes, and then the flight stewards announce that you are about to take off.

You get off the plane, sighing deeply as you smiled. “... I’m home.” You whisper to yourself, looking around as your last memory of home played in your mind. It was two years ago, when Henry asked you to come home for a few days, only to tell you that he wanted to call the wedding off. You didn’t react wildly, and just asked him what happened that he thought about calling the wedding off. “... I fell in love with someone else.” You remember him say, making your chest hurt as your fingers fiddled with the engagement ring he gave you. You stay silent for quite a while, thinking things over.

No matter how much it pained you, you didn’t love Henry wholeheartedly anymore, and you knew that your relationship won’t work: with you working in L.A. and him staying in your shared apartment in London. “... Alright, Henry.” You answer him, tears brimming in your eyes as you slid the ring off your finger. You hand it over to him, with him hesitantly taking the object from your grasp. He then brought you into his arms one last time, whispering a thousand ‘Sorrys’ as he caressed your hair. You accepted his comforting, fully understanding why he wanted to break up with you. You realize that you’d been lying to yourself for years, claiming that you were over your childhood romance, but you weren’t. Henry even noticed it, since you kept all those copies of Tom’s films.

Your phone then rings in your pocket, dragging you out of your trance. Once you see that it was your dad calling, you pick up right away. “We’re waiting outside, dear,” the old man stated, you giving him an ‘Okay’ as you went out of the airport. You spot the old couple waving at you with pure joy, you running toward them and giving them a hug. “Mum! Dad! How’ve you guys been?” You asked, looking over at them as you smiled brightly. “We’re fine, dear. Now, let’s get you home.” Your father says, getting your bag and shoving it inside the car’s trunk. You all get inside the car, your dad driving you to your home in London. You chat a little with your parents, you telling them about your previous jobs.

Your ride home didn’t take long, and now you were sitting on the couch with your mum, your stomach filled to the brim from the delicious dinner that she cooked for you. You never did really seem to get her recipe for [Your favorite food] right. You were watching some celebrity news show, when you hear the reporter say a familiar name. “Seems that Tom Hiddleston and Taylor Swift are hooking up... What do you guys think?” The woman asked, making you focus solely on the telly as the show’s hosts discussed the couple’s relationship. Your mother seems to also have heard Tom’s name, since her eyes were also glued to the screen. “Oh, isn’t that Tom? He seems to be doing pretty well...,” your mother said, a smile on her lips at seeing the photos. You, on the other hand, felt your chest tighten slightly. You hated yourself for that. It seems that your heart still terribly belonged to the gentleman, and you can do nothing about it.

“He sure does, doesn’t he?” You described, seeing him smile on most of the photos that the paparazzo took. It made you slightly happy for him: that he found, what seemed to be, his soulmate. Half of you wished that this would be the last relationship Taylor and Tom would be getting into, while the other half just wished that this was just a summer fling and that it would end soon. You disliked thinking of the second one, hoping that the bad thoughts would go away. You then stood from your seat, telling your mum that you were going upstairs for a shower. “Okay, dear. Call me if you need anything,” she said, you giving her a nod in return. You just had to somehow get that out of your system.

You were fresh out of the shower, when you hear a knock on your door. You open it, and find your father standing outside. “What’s up, Dad?” You asked him, the old man asking you if you had anything to do now that you were back in England. You shake your head ‘No’, eliciting a smile on your father’s lips. “We’re planning to buy a home in Suffolk. Would you like to come with us?” He asked, his eyes wide as if he was a puppy asking for a treat. You knew you couldn’t resist your parents, so you say that you’ll be with them. “Great!” He shouted, adding in a ‘Good night’ before walking happily back to his and your mother’s shared bedroom. You shook your head, a smile on your lips as you looked at your father. ‘Such a happy man...’ You thought, closing your door behind you as you dried your hair with your towel. You decide to arrange everything that was in your messenger bag, retrieving it from the top of your dresser and plopping it down on your bed.

You flip your bag over, the first thing dropping out of it was your old notebook. You pick it up and inspected it, flipping through the yellowed pages carefully as you read through the stories you made when you were younger. There was one page, though, that caught your attention. The sheet was empty, except for three words: ‘I miss Tom.’ You then remember that you wrote it years ago, back when you’ve just moved to Edinburgh. “... I still do, don’t I?” You told yourself, your lips in a sad smile as you closed the notebook and put it inside one of your desk’s drawers where you’re sure it’ll be safe. You then turn back to your bed, where all your stuff was sprawled out, and arranged them into your bag.

Once you were done, you go under your covers and hope that your eyes would just grow tired and close up. Sleep didn’t hit you immediately, however, your mind starting to think about that necklace you gave Tom before you left Oxford. ‘It’s a lucky charm, my dear. As far as I know, all the owners of this necklace were successful in their careers.’ You remember the old lady say, making you smile as you laid on your bed. You yawn, your thoughts still drifting to the necklace. ‘I hope he still has it, because that would mean it worked...’ You thought, before sleep overcame you.

The next day, you and your parents set for Suffolk. Your father had told you that you would be staying a few days there, so you didn’t bother unpacking your things anymore. You left early in the morning, your mother wanting to walk by the beach for a while before meeting with the sales agent they contacted. You park the car and walk down to Aldeburgh Beach, your parents walking hand-in-hand in front of you as they talked. You looked at them in awe, smiling as you shook your head when your mother laughed at something your father was talking about. You wished you could find someone who could do the same with, but if fate doesn’t think that you need a partner at the moment, who are you to complain? You put out your phone and steal a photo of them, reminding yourself to upload it later on your Instagram.

You were about to go back to the parking lot, when you spot three people a few paces from where you and your parents were. Your eyes squinted as the group got closer, your mother hastening her steps as you heard her say a very familiar name. “Diana, is that you?” You hear your mother say, before she made her way to the other woman and hugged her. You hear them exchange greetings as shock overcame you. It was Tom’s mother, and behind her was... “Tom! Long time no see!” Your father exclaimed, giving the man a handshake as he smiled at him. You blinked a few times, making sure that this wasn’t a dream: that he was really standing in front of you. Tom then walked slowly to where you were, dragging Taylor along. “[Your Name]... Long-time no see,” He says, holding out a hand as you just stared at it. You greeted him back, a small smile on your lips as you took his hand and shook it lightly. You stood, his hold on your hand lingering a bit longer than you thought it would before letting go. “This is Taylor...” He says, introducing the woman that was currently clinging onto his arm. “Hello! Tom’s mentioned you a few times. Said you were a great writer.” The blonde woman put out her hand in the same manner, you shaking it lightly, a small smile adorning your features, before retreating to your parents.

“Aunt Diana, we should really be heading out.” You place your arms around your parents’ shoulders as you talked to Tom’s mother. “Nonsense, [Your Name]! Why don’t you three have brunch with all of us? I’m sure Sarah and Emma would want to see you,” Diana said as she made her way toward you and gave you a hug. “Auntie, I’m sure you’ve already got your hands fu-” you try saying, before your mother interrupted you. “We’d love to, Diana. And besides, we may need some suggestions on the best spots here in Suffolk,” You mother added, making you look down and just shake your head, a smile on your lips. They told you that they’ve parked near where your car was, so you agreed to walk the same way.

You walked way faster than normal, your nervousness obvious as you got your car keys from your pocket. You didn’t really know what was wrong with you. “Do you want me to drive, love?” Your father asks, seeing that you looked a bit rattled. You shake your head and tell him that you were fine, opening the door on the driver’s side and sliding in. You breathe deeply and start the car, your mother telling you that Tom would be leading the way. You nod and follow their car, trying to clear your head as you followed Tom’s car through the streets. Tom stopped in front of a house, Diana and Taylor getting out as they went into the house. Your parents did the same and went in the house behind the first two, leaving you and Tom to park your respective vehicles. Once you finish parking, you get out and make sure you locked it, before heading to the house, treading a few paces behind Tom.

“So... How’ve you been?” You suddenly hear him ask, you almost bumping into him before noticing that he stopped walking and was now facing you. You clear your throat, “I’ve been good. You seem to be doing better,” You replied, looking through the house’s window and noticing Diana laughing at something Taylor was talking about. Tom looked at what you were looking at, a smile on his face, before turning back to you. “Where’s Henry?” He then asks, continuing up the front porch’s steps. “Oh. We... broke up a few years ago,” you answered, your head low as you’ve noticed that Tom stopped from turning the door’s handle. It seemed that he was deep in thought. You put a hand on his shoulder, asking if he was alright. “Yes, I’m fine,” he replied, before opening the door and walking inside. You followed behind him, making sure to close the door behind you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you guys think~


	8. Complicated (Part II)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You meet Tom’s mother and sisters again, making you feel nostalgic. You are also introduced to Sarah’s children. Dylan, in particular, has taken a liking to you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello to the beautiful people reading this! Sorry for the late update yet again... Tried to wring my brain for some juice, and I think it worked (?). Anyways, enjoy reading!

You’ve only noticed how noisy it was in the Hiddleston residence, children running around as the adults greeted each other excitedly. Tom’s sisters, Sarah and Emma, were greeting your parents before they noticed you following behind Tom. “[Your Name]? My, it’s been too long!” Sarah said, making her way over to you and giving you one of the tightest hugs you've had. You hug her back, patting her back as you smiled. Sarah still clung to you before Emma hugged you from behind. “Hey! I missed her too, you know?” the younger woman said, making you giggle as you try not to fall over. Sarah called her children over, each child shyly greeting you as the older woman introduced you as ‘Uncle Tom’s first lady friend’. You weren’t exactly sure if it was true, though. In the end, you just went with it and said your greetings, the grin from your face not fading as you see three copies of Sarah.

Tom’s mother went to the kitchen, telling the others to just wait in the sitting room. You offered to help her, but she insisted that she was fine. “Aunt Diana, please. It’s been a long time since I last helped you in the kitchen,” you tell her, hastening your steps behind her as Emma followed behind you. Diana just smiled at you, shaking her head as she led you to the kitchen. Sarah couldn’t join you, since she was watching over her children who were playing at the backyard. Once you entered the kitchen, you just couldn’t help but savor the smell coming from the oven. “Are those cookies?” You tried guessing, going near the oven and bending down to take a peek. Diana suddenly laughed, telling you that you had guessed right and that it was for the little ones. You smile and help Emma with the plates, setting them on the dining table as Diana got the cookies out of the oven.

“So... I heard you were getting married. But I don’t see a ring...” Emma suddenly says, as straightforward as ever. You weren’t surprised, being close to the Hiddleston siblings when you were young. Sarah always acted like a mother hen, always fussing about your safety when you climbed trees, while Tom and Emma were always the ones you played with. “Emma, dear. You didn’t have to bring that up, you know?” You hear Diana say, telling her that it was alright and that it was a long time ago. “We... Decided that we were better off not going through with it. Differences and whatnot...” You reply, looking down before returning to fetch the silverware that were resting on the counter. You delicately put down the forks and knives, all the while Emma stared at you. You felt her eyes on you, but you just ignored it and continued on with your work.

“Aunt [Your Mother’s Name], Uncle [Your Father’s Name], brunch is ready!” Emma shouts, everyone standing and making their way to the dining table to find a seat. You wash your hands, before taking a seat beside Diana. Tom’s mother was never a disappointing host. The three of you each had a plate with eggs, sausages and pancakes. “Aunt Diana, isn’t this too much?” You ask, looking at the elder woman as she shook her head ‘No.’ She motioned for you to eat, and you did. Emma then sat beside you, a pitcher of orange juice in her hand as the other held two glasses. “Are you looking for a house here, [Your Mother’s Name]?” Diana then asked, the question obviously directed at your parents. Your father nodded, his mouth full with pancakes as your mother proceeded. “We were wondering if you’d know of some houses for sale in the area.” Your mother added as you took another bite from your plate. While your parents discussed, Emma started talking to you too.

“So, I heard you’ve been to America. Any stories?” You hear Emma ask you, your mouth slightly open and your brow perked up in question. Not many people knew about your offer in America. You remember that you specifically told only your parents and closest friends. So how would Emma know about it? “Tom told me some time ago. He had the saddest expression on his face too, if I remember it correctly.” Emma added, her eyes hovering over to Tom and Taylor, who were sitting on the couch as they talked. “... Why should he be sad? He was the one who disappeared so suddenly after-,” you reply as you try and keep your temper in control. It would be improper to just shout at people because you felt so angry and confused about what someone did to you in the past. “... I think he was just frustrated that Henry got to put that ring around your finger first. And that you said ‘yes’,” Emma replied. You weren’t surprised that she knew about Henry, as you thought that Tom told her everything that was happening back then.

You look behind you, just as Taylor laughed at something Tom said. “... At least he’s happy now,” you replied, a sadness in your eyes as you turn back to Emma. She smiled back at you, rubbing your arm in comfort. You didn’t feel a certain man’s eyes on you as you talked with Emma, distracted as you threw stories back and forth. You then saw Sarah’s children outside, seeing them giggling as they chased each other. “Why don’t we play with your nephew and nieces?” You asked Emma, earning a nod from the younger woman before you told your parents that you’ll be going outside.

Once outside, Dylan, Sarah’s little boy, went near you. His face was contorted, as if he was studying your face. “What’s wrong, little man? Is there something on my face?” You ask him, crouching down to his level as you smiled. “Mum, I have seen her! Uncle Tom has a photo of her in his room!” He suddenly shouts as his face brightened at his sudden realization, looking back to his mother as he pointed at you. You look up at Sarah, a questioning look on your face. She just shrugged, laughing lightly at the face you were currently making. “Do you want to play with us, Miss?” the little boy asked, his sisters running up behind him. “Sure. What’re we playing?” you reply, Dylan smiling widely at your answer. “We’re playing detective! I’m Sherlock Holmes!” He says, adjusting the hat on his head as he pretended to have a magnifying glass in his hands. You smirked, not even wondering from whom the boy got the idea from. You nod your head, the children cheering as they thought of what mysteries they could solve with you. You didn’t really hear the grass ruffle beneath their feet, but Taylor and Tom were now outside, talking with Emma as you continued playing with Sarah’s children.

A few minutes later, your parents started calling you, telling you that you really need to go house hunting before night falls. You tell the children that you need to leave, their faces turning a bit sad. “Hey, hey! What’re all the long faces for?” You ask them. Dylan went up to you and held your hand, “Promise me you’ll come back, Auntie [Your Name]?” he said, looking up at you with puppy dog eyes. You sigh, ruffling his hair, “How can I say ‘no’ to that face?” you reply, squatting down to his level. Dylan beamed at you, hugging you suddenly as he said a quick ‘Thank you’. Sarah was behind him, taking his hand as she led her children back inside the house. You, Taylor and Tom followed behind her, their hands clamped together as you walked back. You tried not paying too much attention, but your chest won’t just stop hurting. Since you were the last one to come inside, you close the door behind you.

You see your parents standing in the living room, making you walk over to them as they were saying goodbye to Diana. “You should visit here more often. I’d be happy to cook for you again,” Diana said to you as you kissed her cheek. “No, you should visit us back in London. I’ll be doing the cooking this time.” You reply, a smile on your face as you looked at her. She then handed you a small paper bag, you asking her what was inside. “I baked some extra cookies, and thought you’d want them.” She stated, patting your shoulders as you mouthed a ‘thank you’. You turn to the others, greeting them goodbye, then came Tom and Taylor. You shook Taylor’s hand, saying that it was nice to finally meet her, and that she was good for Tom. Tom, on the other hand, had this awkward expression on his face, noticing how teary your eyes were getting. H e knew at that moment that you were lying, and that you were just forcing yourself to say what you just said. Taylor smiled at you, “Thank you, [Your Name]. It was nice meeting you, too. And don’t worry, I’ll take real good care of this guy.” She replied, looking at Tom and smiling at him. He returned the gesture, but then his face turned serious when he turned to you again. You smiled at Tom and mumbled a quick goodbye, before making your way to the front door.

You open the door and wait for your parents to go out, before turning and saying goodbye for another time. Dylan enthusiastically waved at you, a big smile on his face at his hope that you’ll be coming back real soon. In fact, all of them were smiling at you, except for the tall blonde man that stood a few paces from where you were. He just stood there, eyes confused as he looked at you. Even if you wanted to ask him so badly what made his face look so confused, you just shrug it off and go on your way. You go and start the car, making sure that your parents didn’t forget anything.

The day went on without a hitch. Your parents found a house near a beach, which they thought was perfect, but you told them that they should check a few more houses before settling onto one.

It was already evening when you got to the hotel. You checked into a nice little suite, since you three will be staying in Suffolk for three days. You eat dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, before going up to your room. You began unpacking your things, making sure to put your toiletries in the bathroom. You left your door open, so it was no surprise that your father went inside without knocking. “Need help with anything, my girl?” Your father asks, making you glance at him and shake your head. “I’m good, Dad. I should be the one asking you that,” you answered, making sure that the last sweater in your bag was hanged in the dresser. Your father then stays quiet, a small smile on his face as he looked at you while you were arranging your things.

“... Did something happen between you and Tom back there?” He suddenly asked, making you look toward him. You shook your head ‘No’, not wanting to worry about your problems. “I just... I guess I’m still upset about him not coming to see me after I got engaged,” you answer, sitting down beside your father. He remained silent, letting you continue. “I just missed being able to talk to him normally... No complications, no secrets... Just being able to tell him everything,” you explain, pinching your nose bridge as you felt a headache coming in. Your father sighs, bringing a hand to your shoulder in comfort. “... Is that really why you were upset, my dear?” He asked, making you lie down on your bed with a grunt. Your dad really did know you very well. You remain quiet, then your father stands and leaves you alone to think.

‘... Bloody hell, I should probably just move on,’ you thought to yourself, remembering how Tom gleamed when he was with Taylor. Your heart has been aching since you saw that picture of them together, but it just hurt more when you saw it with your own two eyes. You grunted again, ‘Stupid Tom... Stupid feelings... Stupid, stupid, stupid!’ you thought, rising from your bed as you prepared for a shower. Once you were done, you dressed up and went to bed, trying to forget about what you saw earlier as you tossed and turned in your bed.

Meanwhile, in the Hiddleston residence, a certain blonde was thinking about you and what you told him earlier. ‘Oh. We... broke up a few years ago,’ that specific line replayed in his head, making him turn on his bed. He definitely thought that you were hiding something from him, but he didn’t have enough time to just pull you out for a while and talk. He sat up on his bed, rubbing his eyes, before looking toward his bedside table. He pulled the drawer on it and brought out his wallet, where he kept the necklace you gave him. He kept it all those years because it constantly reminded him of you, which was really bittersweet for him. He looked at the pendant, reminding himself to get it cleaned when he finds the time. “... Are you truly happy, [Your Name]?” He asked himself, sighing as he put the necklace back into his wallet and into his bedside table’s drawer. God, he really needed some sleep...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, that's the end of the chapter. Tell me what you think~
> 
> The next chapter will be about Tom, so you'll just have to wait for a bit...
> 
> In case you guys were wondering, I'll just leave a list of the characters I used in the story.
> 
> Diana - Tom's Mother  
> Sarah - Tom's Elder Sister  
> Emma - Tom's Younger Sister  
> Dylan - Sarah's eldest son
> 
> I'm gonna name Dylan's two other siblings in the next chapters, I think.


	9. An Overdue Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before flying off to Australia, Tom decides to spend time with his family and girlfriend. Due to some random circumstance, he ends up meeting you again. This time, though, he stays a bit longer for that long overdue talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late post, people~ Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter~

Tom spent his day spending time with his family and Taylor. Since he’s going to be filming Thor: Ragnarok in Australia, he thought that this would be the best time to catch up with his sisters. Too bad that his thoughts would always go back to you and to your current relationship status. He didn’t expect that to happen, since he saw how you and Henry respected and adored each other. That’s why he left you so suddenly back when you were in Cambridge. A week after your engagement, he wanted to see you again, but then he decided to go against it and just leave you be. ‘It would hurt too much...’ He thought back then, deciding to just focus on his studies and enter the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Of course, he still had you in mind, still making you a motivation for him to do better.

“Tom, you alright?” Taylor asks him, snapping him out of his thoughts. He blinked, then turned and looked at the blonde woman, “Yes, I’m fine,” he said, a small smile on his lips. ‘... If you only knew,’ he thought, standing from his as he told Taylor that he wanted to take a breather outside. “Do you want some company?” she asked, almost standing up herself before Tom said that she didn’t need to come with him. Once he got out of the house, he began breathing deeply and tried thinking of something else. It was then that Dylan, who was playing with his toys at the picnic table, got up and went up to him. “Are you alright, Uncle Tom?” he asked, making Tom look down and smile at the young boy. “Yes, Dylan,” he answered, but Dylan didn’t buy it and his eyes started squinting at him. This made Tom laugh, realizing that even a child saw through him. He held out his hand toward Dylan, the boy taking it as Tom guided him back to the picnic table. They both sat down, Dylan reaching out for the toy car he was playing with.

“... I miss Aunt [Your Name],” Dylan suddenly said, his voice barely a whisper as he started fiddling with the toy in his hands. Tom sighed and looked at Dylan. “...Me too,” he answered, the boy looking at him with a smile. “I thought you were friends with her before, Uncle Tom. Why weren’t you talking to her yesterday?” Dylan asked innocently, making Tom ask himself the same question: ‘Why didn’t I talk to her yesterday?’ He tried thinking of other reasons why he decided not to converse with you too much, but he knew why: he still felt that sting in his chest when he saw you. In the end, he just smiled at Dylan, telling him that he’ll tell him when he’s a little older. Dylan just nodded at his uncle and went back to playing with his toy car, leaving Tom to his thoughts. ‘... Dylan’s right. I should probably talk to her. Have a decent conversation, this time.’ He thought, before he heard his mother call him from the kitchen’s window.

Tom breathed deeply, now sitting in the lobby of the hotel you and your parents were staying at. He was fidgeting with the tam you wore when you visited the Hiddlestons, looking at it as if it were an artifact. The woman at the front desk recognized him, but decided to keep quiet in respect for his privacy, and led him to a private sitting area while telling him that you were already coming down. He nodded at her, “If you need anything, Mr. Hiddleston, please don’t hesitate to call me,” the receptionist added, before leaving him alone.

He waited a few more minutes, before the receptionist went in again, and this time, you were walking a few paces behind her. “Here he is, ma’am. I’ll leave you two alone,” the receptionist said, you giving her a small ‘thank you’ before facing Tom.

“Hey.” You greet him, a small smile on your lips. “Hello,” he said, looking straight at you for a long while before realizing why he was there in the first place. “Oh, right... I think you left this at Mum's. Mother thought that you removed it when you went to play with Dylan,” he added, bringing your hat in front of you as you grabbed it from his hand. “Oh, thank you! I was looking for that earlier...” you answered, looking at the tam in your hands, before staring at him. You just stood there for a few seconds, not knowing what to talk about, before you cleared your throat. “Did you want to stay for tea? I can ask for them to bring something upstairs, or did you want to stay at the café?” You asked him, remembering his current celebrity status and the ruckus that it can actually cause at this time. You didn’t want him getting into more trouble than he’s already in. Aside from that, he really looked like he needed a cuppa.

“Sure. It would be better if we went upstairs,” he replied, you smiling up at him before you guided him toward the lift. You waited for it to come down, silence hanging between the two of you, before you hear a ring. You step inside, Tom following behind you, as you press the button for the seventh floor. You stand and wait for the elevator to bring you there, feeling a certain tension in the air. “Where’s Taylor?” you asked, putting your hands behind your back as you leaned on the elevator wall. He looked at you, “She went back to Nashville for a while... Said it was an emergency.” he answered, crossing his arms on his chest as he looked down at his feet. You nod at him, looking elsewhere before the elevator ringed and opened, making you go out as Tom followed close behind you. You stop in front of your door and put your keycard through the keycard lock, hearing a beeping sound before your door opened. You went inside, asking Tom to close the door behind him as you went and called room service, asking for two slices of cake and a pot of their best tea. You thank the receptionist, and put down the phone.

Tom was looking around your suite, noticing the absence of your parents. “Where’re Mr. and Mrs. [Your Surname]?” He asked, standing by the window as he looked downstairs. “Going house hunting. I didn’t feel like going outside today, so I just asked the hotel if they can drive them around,” you replied, taking a seat at the small dining table as you motioned for him to sit across from you. He sat down, making himself comfortable, before looking back at you with his eyebrows crunched up, as if he was thinking of something deeply.

“... Something on your mind, Tom?” You ask him, his face looking a bit startled as you caught his attention. “... I have to apologize for yesterday. I didn’t get to talk to you,” he started, looking at you for your reaction.

You smile a little, “It’s fine, Tom. I understand. What I don’t understand was... Why you didn’t show yourself anymore after Henry proposed,” you were now biting your lip in anticipation of Tom’s answer. He breathed deeply, “I... I thought that you were better off without me. And I was also applying for R.A.D.A. that time.” He answered, making you raise a brow at his first reason. “Who told you that? I’m sure it wasn’t me,” you replied, your face contorting in slight anger at what you just heard. Who in their right mind would say that to a man like Tom? “No one did. I just...” he answered, getting cut by the doorbell ringing. You sighed as you stood from your seat, opening the door for the waiter outside. He rolled in a food trolley, the man setting down two slices of cake and a teapot, accompanied by two cups and saucers, and some sugar cubes and cream. “Do you need anything else, ma’am?” The old man asked as he went back behind his trolley. “No, I won’t be needing anything. Thank you,” you reply, smiling at the old man before he went off.

Once the door closed behind him, your face turned serious again. You poured tea into both of your cups, asking Tom how many sugar cubes he wanted. “Two, please.” he answered, you putting in the same amount into your tea. You stirred yours, while Tom put cream in his, silence hanging between the two of you as you waited for his explanation. “... You just looked so happy at that time, [Your Name]. And I just felt so... Angry,” he said as he carefully stirred his tea, trying to keep his voice low. You sip your tea, trying to think of an answer. “... I was happy. But that didn’t mean that I didn’t want to talk to you again.” You answer, your gaze on his face as he suddenly stopped stirring his tea. You breathed out, rubbing the bridge of your nose as you closed your eyes. “... You don’t know how much I wanted to be able to talk to you normally again. Like the old times,” you say, remembering how carefree you were when you talked about practically everything with Tom back in the day. Tom just stared at you, then looked down at his cup as he thought of a reply.

“Do you really want to know why I left?” He stared at you, his brows furrowed as if he was arguing with himself of whether to tell you what was on his mind. “Please, by all means. Help me understand.” You reply as you nodded, your hand fiddling with the teacup’s handle, anxious to hear his explanation. “... It just hurt me to see you. I wasn’t angry at you, I was angry at myself. For not being fast enough, for not finding you earlier,” he answered, looking down at his teacup then back at you. You saw this certain sadness in his eyes again, like that moment when you accepted Henry's proposal. “... Why didn’t you tell me back then?” you ask, now looking at him with your brows furrowed and tears threatening to fall from your eyes. He looked at you, “... I wanted to. But I thought that you didn’t really think of me that way. I thought you considered me no more than a friend.” He added, wetting his lips before taking another sip of his tea. “Wasn’t that my decision?” you shout in anger, before realizing that there might be people in the hallway outside. You breathed deeply, trying to calm down. “I would’ve--” you release the grip that you had on your teacup, trying to calm down, “—I would’ve felt the same.” You barely whisper, making Tom stare at you as you did. Silence: comforting to some, but a total nightmare for you right now. Tom opened his mouth, about to say something, before closing it again as he looked down.

“... Too late for that now, isn’t it?” You regrettably say, a sad smile on your face as you remembered how Tom beamed when he was with Taylor. You were starting to accept that he found the one for him, that he should be happy, after everything that he’s been through. Tom looked at you, his jaw clenched before he bit his lip. You remembered that he always made that face when he was about to cry. You were on the verge of crying too, but you kept your composure, not wanting to bawl in front of the man you respected and loved. Yes, you still love Tom. Whether he may be the goofy dreamer you knew back when you were younger or an actor rising to fame that he was now, you still love the bastard. Silence overcame the two of you again, the both of you waiting for your emotions to die down before saying a word.

You then hear the door to your suite open, making you and Tom glance at the doorway to see who it was. “[Your Name], we’re back! Oh, is Thomas with you?” you hear your mother say, you confirming what she said. “Why didn’t you tell us you were visiting, my boy? We could’ve went home earlier,” Your father added as he removed his scarf and coat. You stood and greeted your parents with a kiss on their cheek, as Tom stood and shook your parents’ hands. “So, how’d the house hunting go?” You ask, a small smile on your lips as you took their coats and scarves in your arms. “Quite well, my dear. We’ve seen some candidates, but nothing beats that house we saw near the beach,” your father replied remembering the house that you’ve seen yesterday. What your parents liked the most was that the master’s bedroom was facing the North Sea. There was just one thing that's gotten you a bit nervous: Tom’s mother’s house was just a few blocks away, which meant that you would be seeing the Hiddlestons more often. You knew how close Tom was to his mother, so that meant that you would be seeing him in particular, and you just don’t know how to feel about that. Not after this confrontation, anyway.

Tom then looks at his watch, not noticing till now that it was later than he expected. “I should probably be on my way, Mr. and Mrs. [Your Surname].” He announced, a small smile on his lips as he looked at the three of you. “Nonsense, Thomas! Why don’t we go downstairs and get some grub?” Your father said, his hand on Tom’s shoulder. “Oh, is Taylor waiting for you?” You hear your mother ask as you put their coats in their room. You hear Tom say ‘No’, explaining that Taylor went back to Nashville because she had an emergency. By the time you came back, your mother was clinging to Tom’s arm, telling you that he’ll be joining you downstairs. You can’t really tell her what happened between the two of you, so you just nod your head and follow behind them.

Once the four of you were sat in the hotel’s restaurant, your father called for a waiter. The waiter took your orders, and said that everything was going to be served in fifteen to twenty minutes. Your mother then starts asking Tom questions: how he’s been in the past years, what it felt like to be in the spotlight, and so on. “So, how did you meet Taylor?” Your mother asked, taking a sip from her water glass. Of course, Tom went on to tell his and Taylor’s story: how they’ve met, and whatnot. You tried listening to the blue-eyed blonde beside you, but the ache in your chest made you lose your focus. You told yourself that you’ve have to move on, one way or another, but you then realized that that doesn't really happen instantly. It will take time to heal a wound like this.

“That’s great, Thomas. [Your Name] here hasn’t had a boyfriend since—” your mother cut herself off, apologizing to you silently before clearing her throat. “Really?” Tom said, looking at you as you nod. “I tried dating someone back in L.A., but I didn’t really...” You try explaining, your arms crossed as you looked down. You were pretty sure that your cheeks were already flushing as you felt Tom’s eyes on you, his brows furrowed in curiosity. The waiter then comes in with your orders, making you sigh in relief as your discussion was cut short. You all ate dinner, your parents and Tom commenting on how delicious the food was. You just sat and nodded, really, munching on a sandwich as you tried looking anywhere else but at Tom. Your mother seemed to notice this, holding your hand and asking you if you were alright. “Yes, mother. I’m alright.” You answered, a small smile on your lips as you returned to your food.

“Thank you for the meal, Mr. and Mrs. [Your Surname]. You’ll need to have me cook for you one day,” Tom said, his hands in his pockets as you all stood in the hotel lobby. Your mother and father said their goodbyes, while you told them that you’ll be with them in a second. Once you see them go off to the elevator, you turn back to Tom. “Tom, about earlier...” You sigh, your hand on the back of your neck as you thought of what to say. Tom waits for you patiently, his arms crossed as he focused solely on you. “I just thought that it would be pointless to dwell on what you did, and that whether I like it or not, you’re still as important to me as you were back then. Now, if it’s alright with you, I would like us to be friends again,” You said, making Tom raise his brows in surprise. He sighs, thinking deeply about what you just said. You just stood there, a hopeful expression on your face as he nodded his head. “Alright, [Your Name],” He answered, making you smile from ear to ear as you jumped at him for a hug. He laughed, hugging you back as you muttered a thousand ‘thank yous’. He still smelt so wonderful...

You then realize that you’ve been hugging him a while, so you push him lightly off you. “You should probably go... Aunt Diana must be looking for you already,” you say, taking a stray strand of hair behind your ear as you looked down. “Yes, I should probably... What was your number again?” He suddenly asked, making you laugh at his suddenness. “I haven’t changed my number since college, Tom,” You reply, Tom lips in a small smile as he looked at you. You both say your goodbyes, and you were probably sure that you were going to sleep well tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to research a bit of geography on this one, since I haven't even visited England, or any other country on that matter... Oh well. I think it worked in the end, eh?
> 
> Leave comments, if you'd like~


	10. Curious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You go back to L.A. and get your next job assignment. Tom pops into your home for a surprise visit, and you talk endlessly about anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, people~! This chapters shorter than the other ones, but I promise the next ones will be 3,000+ words again! Anyways, enjoy reading!

A few weeks pass, and you’re already in L.A. The past week was very hectic, though. Of course, your parents chose the house near Diana’s, since they just couldn’t seem to get enough of that view. You helped them move in, and even visited the Hiddlestons again. You caught them two days before they were leaving, Dylan running towards you once he saw you. You laughed when you caught him, almost falling over if it weren’t for Tom catching you from behind. “Careful there, Dylan. Aunt [Your Name] almost fell!” You hear Sarah shout from the other side of the room, the child muttering an apology as he hugged you tightly. You play for the whole day, Sarah and Tom even joining in at times. You talk to Tom for a while too, telling him that you had another contract to fulfil in L.A., but you weren’t really sure where you’ll be assigned to next. “Ring me up when you get assigned in Australia, then. We’ll be filming Thor there for a while,” He answered, his smile bright in excitement for the next Thor. Your eyes also lit up, since you loved seeing him act as Loki. You tell him that you would, but you weren’t really getting your hopes up since you know how busy an actor’s schedule can be.

You check the time on your phone as you sat in your office, a cup of coffee in your other hand as you waited for your boss’ secretary to call you in. “Ms. [Your Surname], Mr. Richards will see you now,” the secretary told you, making you stand from your seat and make way to your boss’ office. You greet your boss, then sit down on the chair that was in front of his desk.

“Where’re you sending me to, sir?” You ask him, sipping on your coffee as he went to find a paper with your assignment and plane ticket attached. “Ah, here we are... You’re gonna go down under, Ms. [Your Name]!” He explains, handing you over a paper that read ‘Australia’ and a plane ticket scheduled next week. Your eyes grew wide, seeing that your boss was serious as you checked the paper for your itinerary. “You’re lucky, Ms. [Your Name]! My wife recommended you to sneak a peek on the new script they’re doing for Marvel, maybe even help them write it,” He said, a huge smile on his face as you looked at him with the same enthusiasm you’ve had since you’ve started writing for the company. You then frown, realizing that it might be for Thor. Sure, you would be indirectly working with Tom, but knowing him, he’ll want to change a few things, which meant that you would be meeting with him more. “By any chance, sir, am I going to work on Thor: Ragnarok?” You ask respectfully, making sure that you had a poker face on. “Now, how’d you know about that?” Your boss asked, his hands on his desk. You tell him that you had a friend in the cast, but didn’t tell him specifically that it was Tom Hiddleston. You knew you shouldn’t tell anyone that you were his childhood friend, since they would swarm you with questions about his current relationship. Thankfully, your boss doesn’t ask you to elaborate your source and says that you were indeed working on Thor. You weren’t really surprised though, since he did say you were going to Australia. You thank your boss, then got out of the office.

You went home excited that day, excited to be able to see the script of the comic-turned-movie, but you didn’t really get your hopes up when it came to the writing part. Seeing the script was just enough for you, though. Your trip wasn’t ‘till next week, so you guessed you’ll have to wait for it. You still need to do some things, though, so you think that you’ve got things covered.

You cleaned your house for two days, making sure that you didn’t leave anything unclean. You left one thing untouched, though, and that was your garden. It just reminded you of home, in a way, but only hotter and less damp. You cut the grass and tended your plants, not forgetting to water them. You then hear your doorbell ringing, almost making you drop the watering can in your hand as you shouted that you were at the back. You hear footsteps on the pavement come toward the gate of the fence that led to your garden. You ran toward the gate and opened it, surprise overcoming you when you saw a certain tall blonde behind it. “Tom? What’re you doing here?” You asked him, opening the gate wider so that he could get in. He removed his sunglasses as he went inside, seeing that your hair was tied up and that you were only in shorts and a loose white shirt. “Err, sorry... You caught me in a bad time. I was arranging the garden,” you shyly say, raising the watering can in your hands as he blinked at you. You were sure that your face was definitely flushed. “Yeah, sorry about that. I just... I was hanging out with Taylor this week, and I wanted to see you for a bit...” He replied, folding his sunglasses and hanging them on his shirt. “Why don’t we go inside, and I’ll just get cleaned up.” You tell him, Tom nodding at you as you went inside. You were beginning to think if some paparazzo could have followed him, but you were sure that Tom was very discreet with where he was and what he was doing. That explains why he rarely posts on his social media accounts. Plus, he did tell you he’d visit you one day when you told him your L.A. address when you were talking back in London.

Once you two went inside, you ask him to sit down on your couch before retreating back to your bedroom and rushing to the bathroom to take a quick shower. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming today? I would’ve prepared—” you try saying before your hear Tom shout that the visit wasn’t planned, and that he just felt like going to your place. You laugh, thinking that it was silly for him to go to your house without a reason. Once you’ve thought that you scrubbed everywhere, you turned the shower off and dried yourself with a towel. You then walked into your room and made sure you had decent clothes on, before walking out to the living room. “Nice place you have here,” Tom said as he looked around, looking at the huge DVD collection you had next to your TV. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll just make us some tea,” you tell him, making your way to your kitchen to retrieve that box of tea bags you bought yesterday. Once you got those out of the cupboard, you put water in your kettle and heated it on the stove. “So, what brings you to this side of L.A.?” You asked, sitting down on the couch where Tom was also sitting. “Well, I was around the area and figured that I’d pay your place a visit,” he replied as his eyes roamed your place, taking in the ambiance of your home. “Well, what do you think? Had to build up my career for three years to get this place.” You explained, looking around proudly as you hear the kettle whistle. It startled the both of you, but it was you who stood to turn the stove off. You prepared two mugs, getting out a few cookies from the jar on the counter and placing them on a plate. You put the tea bags into the cups before pouring the hot water in, making sure that both mugs have an equal amount. You still remembered how Tom took his tea from the last time you talked: two sugars and some cream. You, however, drank the tea as it was. You put the things on a tray and went over to the living room, putting it on the coffee table before handing Tom his tea. “Thank you,” he said, a smile on his lips as he recognized the familiar scent of Earl Grey. You smiled at him before sitting back again, both of you sipping your tea.

“So... When are you gonna start filming Thor?” You ask him, warming your hands with the mug. “Probably about next week... Why?” He answered, his brows furrowed in curiosity. You then told him that you were being assigned to Australia for a month, which made him raise his brows. “That’s great! Call me when you get there. I’ll introduce you to everyone. And I’m sure Taylor would be delighted to see you again,” he answered, a huge grin plastered on his face as he thought of introducing you to Chris Hemsworth and everyone else. He looked very proud to introduce you to his friends. You laughed at his reaction, reminding you of that time when the both of you discovered you dreams: the way he endlessly talked about how he wanted to be the best actor. You then clear your throat, deciding to change your topic. “How is she? Taylor, I mean,” you ask, taking another sip of your tea. He tells you that she’s fine, and that she’s spending time with her friends for now. “Why didn’t you join her, then?” you asked, Tom’s brows furrowing as he thought of a reason. “Since we’ll be filming in a week, I thought that I should take a day off. Work out, roam around a little...” He replied, fiddling with his mug’s handle.

You then discussed various things: for one, the things you’ve missed when you left, the places he’s been to because of filming, etcetera. You laughed and stared in awe as he went from one story to another. You got mostly creeped out when it came to his stories while they were filming Skull Island in Vietnam. If it weren’t for you telling him that you had to make dinner, he would still be talking. “Oh, jeez, it’s already that late? I should’ve checked the time...” You hear him say behind you. “You can stay for dinner, if you’d like... I’m cooking up some Bolognese,” you replied, sautéing some garlic and onions on a pan while you boiled some pasta. You hear him come towards the kitchen, feeling his presence behind you. “That does look good... Alright. I’ll just let Taylor know,” he said, before getting his phone from his pocket to send his girlfriend a text. ‘Tom’s girlfriend... Guess I have to get used to that.’ You thought, your heart aching a little. You knew what would effect this friendship would have on you. But you tried focusing on what you really wanted to do with this: ‘Be there for him.’, ‘Support him in any way you can.’ That was your goal. And if meant that you had to see him with another woman, you would still be there.

You snap out of your trance when you realize that the Bolognese sauce you were making was ready, also checking the pasta if it was okay to drain it. “Tom, could you please hand me the plates? They’re over there, on the counter.” You point behind you, as Tom answered, “Sure.” Once he put the plate on the counter beside our stove, you turn the stove off and went to get some potholders, before draining out the pasta with the colander that was already on your sink. You then make sure to let out that excess water, before plating the pasta. Tom had a huge smile on his face as you scooped up some of the sauce and poured some onto the pasta, making sure that the two plates had enough of each. You hear Tom searching for some utensils, which weren’t really hard to find since your kitchen was organized. You get some juice you had cooling in the fridge and also put them on the dining table along with the plates of spaghetti and two glasses. “Dig in, then. Can’t let you keep Taylor waiting.” You say, Tom smiling at you before you both ate away.

He took the first bite, his eyes growing wide as he looked at you. “... What? Is it that bad?” You asked, before taking a bite yourself. You didn’t really taste anything funny... It’s still the same way you always make it. “No, no. It’s quite good, actually. How’d you learn to make this?” He asked, twirling the pasta around his fork as he took another bite. “Since I lived here alone, I needed to learn how to cook. I know there are great takeout places here in Los Angeles, but nothing beats homemade cooking,” you answered, taking a sip of the juice you poured out earlier. He then proceeded to ask you of what dishes you knew to cook, and you named a few of them. “Could you teach me to cook them? Not rushing anything, though,” he then asked, as you both finished up your plates of Bolognese. You smile at him, “Sure, Tom. Maybe after Australia, then?” You tell him, seeing that he was looking at his phone for his schedule. “Yeah, sure. We’ll just schedule that when the filming’s finished,” he answered, putting away his phone and finishing his juice. He helped you clean the table, putting everything in the sink as he made sure that the plates had at least a bit of water on them for them to soak. He asked if he could use your bathroom, you giving him the ‘okay’ before guiding him to the bathroom again. Once he got out, though, you hear him hastening through your hallway. “I really have to go now...” he said, the both of you walking to your front door. “Oh, alright then. Take care, Tom.” You open the door for him, Tom striding outside before turning to you again. “Thanks for dinner. You take care of yourself too, [Your Name],” he replied, making you smile at him. You didn’t close your door until he left, leaving you to your thoughts. 'Oh well... At least he looked happy,' you thought as you cleaned the plates in the sink, not forgetting the mugs that you used earlier.

You prepare for bed, brushing your teeth in the bathroom, when you see a familiar pendant on your bathroom floor. You pick it up, looking at it closely. ‘Isn’t this...?’ You thought, starting to remember what it was. It was the necklace you gave Tom years ago. The only reason it would be here was... if Tom still brought it with him. You put it down on somewhere it wouldn’t get wet, and continued your nightly routine. Once you got out, you wondered if you should text him about it or if you should just wait for him to realize that it was gone. ‘... No harm keeping it for a bit, right?’ you thought to yourself, keeping the necklace in a box and placing it on your desk. You were just curious as to how he’d react if he knew your old present was missing. You then watch some TV, before falling asleep on your bed.

Tom was already in his hotel room, still awake but lying on his bed. He doesn’t know why he can’t sleep. ‘... Did I leave something?’ He continued asking himself, trying to remember if he left anything at your place. He didn’t really remember putting anything down at your house. He’ll just shrug it off for now, since he needed to wake up early and go for a jog tomorrow. He just hopes that it wasn’t that he didn’t leave anything important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty, then~!
> 
> Leave any comments, if you'd like~


	11. Down Under (Part I)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You travel to Australia, feeling fate play with you since you were working with Tom for quite a while. You meet some of Tom’s fellow actors, feeling honored to have at least made their acquaintance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my beautiful readers! Apologies are in order, since I promised this a year ago. Gosh, I am REALLY REALLY SORRY for making you lads and lasses wait! Anyways, here's a new chapter~
> 
> Enjoy, and thank you for reading~

“Bloody hell, why is it so damn hot!?” You whispered to yourself, dragging your bag behind you as you went inside the hotel you’ll be staying at while you’re in Australia. The cold air from the hotel's air conditiong gave you so much relief, making you sigh as you walked up to the front desk. “Welcome, ma’am! How may I help you?” The receptionist asked, a big smile on his face as he waited for your reply. “Reservation for [Your Name] [Your Surname], please.” You answered, taking you sunglasses off as you fanned yourself. God, you have got to get used to this weather. The receptionist tells you that he’s found a reservation with your name on it, gives you the key to your room, then calls a bellboy to get your bag. You thank the receptionist, before going up to your room.

Once the elevator got you up to your floor, you headed straight for your room and waited for the bellboy, hearing a knock on your door after only five minutes. “Wow! That was fast. Here,” you say, opening your purse and giving the bellboy a tip. He drags your bag into your room and thanks you before leaving. You turn and get yourself a water bottle from the refrigerator, sighing as you drank up. Never have you been this passionate about water, since England seemed to have a lifetime supply of rain. You lie down on your bed and close your eyes, trying to relax a little before you unpack your things. You remember what Tom had told you: that you should send him a message when you’re already in Australia. You figured that you should do that, but it could wait a few more hours. You don’t go to work till tomorrow, anyway. Your head was starting to hurt, which meant jetlag. You had to unpack now before your head starts hurting more.

You unzip your bag, getting out some of your toiletries. You then remember putting the box with Tom’s necklace into one of the pockets somewhere, but you thought that you shouldn’t get it out yet since you didn’t want to lose it. Yes, you didn’t want to lose it. Since Tom kept it everywhere he went, it simply meant that it meant something to him. Although you didn’t really put any other meaning behind it other than the two of you being close friends since childhood, you couldn’t help to have hope that maybe, just maybe... You meant something to him. That you were more than just friends for even just a while. You shake your head, deciding that a cold shower might calm your thoughts. You got some clothes out, putting them on your bed, before going to the bathroom and turning the shower’s knobs.

You breathe out, a towel around your neck as you dried your hair off. Your phone then lights up, telling you that you had a message. You take your phone on top of your bed as you sat down.

_**Tom Hiddleston** _   
_How was your flight? Are you already at your hotel? ___

__It said, startling you a bit. You did tell Tom what time you were arriving, but you just felt really creeped out at his impeccable timing. You reply back:_ _

___Yeah, already at the hotel. You guys filming yet?_ _ _

__You push the send button and got your hairbrush from your bag. You went in front of the mirror and started brushing your hair before your phone lit up again. You check your phone again, reading that they weren’t filming till tomorrow, and that he told his co-actors that they’ll be meeting you soon. You smile, excited to meet the people that your best friend worked with. You reply:_ _

___Really? Can’t wait to meet them, too! Tell Taylor I said hi._ _ _

__You then dry and brush your hair, before plopping down on your bed and dozing off. You then woke up around dinner time, went downstairs and ordered a light meal before going outside and checking the hotel’s swimming pool, which really looked so appealing to you as of the moment. ‘Wouldn’t hurt to take a dip... Not today, though.’ You thought as you looked at your reflection on the pool, before you head back to your room to check if you had new e-mails. Once you’ve done, you brushed your teeth and hit the hay, excited for your new assignment._ _

__You wake up a few hours before your shift, enough time to prepare your things for the day and get some breakfast. Once you’ve ate, you get out and go to where your boss had told you to report before going to the film set that you were sure Tom and his co-actors were. The first thing you’ve noticed when your vehicle was going into the set was that there were barricades everywhere. It didn’t really catch you as odd, since the actors were popular all over the world. “You’ll be staying with Taika for now,” a member of the staff told you, writing something on his clipboard before asking you to follow him. You go through the set, people flying everywhere to get everything in place before filming another scene. The man guided you straight to Taika Waititi’s tent. “Ah, you must be the writer Tom was always talking about. Great to finally meet you!” Taika greeted, shaking your hand with a big smile on his face. You smile in return, guessing that Tom may have told everyone that you were a writer. “I hope you’ve heard only good things, Sir.” You let go of his hand, then he starts directing you to where your work station will be for the rest of the week. “You’ll be mostly staying in the tent, but you can watch us film, if you’d like,” Taika said, before you heard a cellphone blaring off. Taika excused himself to answer his call, telling you that you can also look around the set if you’d like._ _

__You went out to explore the set, amazed at the number of costumes and props that you were seeing in front of you. You were basking in the sights, when you see Tom out of the corner of your eye, looking dapper in his suit and Loki wig on as he glanced at you. “[Your Name]! You’re here!” He shouted, jogging toward you as you smiled at him. “Looking sharp, Loki!” You exclaim, drinking in the sight as he laughed. Loki was, by far, one of your favorite characters that Tom has played throughout his career so far. “Is this the girl you were always talking about, Tom?” You hear a voice behind him, making Tom look behind himself and laugh a little, since he knew that voice very well. “Chris! Let me introduce you to [Your Name] [Your Surname], one of the greatest writers I’ve ever met,” you hear him say, making you blush as Chris shook your hand. “This guy over here’s been talking about you since the first time we’ve actually met,” Chris said, putting a hand on Tom’s shoulder as Tom scratched his face, a red tint on his cheeks. They hear Taika calling for them, saying that it was time to film. “Please, don’t let me keep you,” you say to the both of them, pushing them toward the filming area. “Talk to you later, then!” Chris shouted, running with Tom to the filming area and getting into position. You decide to get back inside, not wanting to cause a distraction when they’re filming. You also had some organizing to do._ _

__Filming for that day ended, and Chris had asked you out to dinner with the rest of the cast. You agreed, since you had nothing planned for the day. You were in the restaurant, sitting in a private room at the back. You heard that Taylor couldn’t come since she had some trouble going on with a certain rapper at the time. That left you, Tom, Chris and his wife, Elsa. You were all laughing at a joke Chris made, when Elsa suddenly asked a question. “So, [Your Name], I see no ring. A boyfriend, perhaps?” She asked, sipping some of her wine. You shake your head, a small smile on your face as you explained yourself. “No, unfortunately... I guess I just haven’t found the right one for me yet,” you answered, tracing your glass’ rim as you stared at the wine. You didn’t feel a certain curly-haired blonde’s eyes on you, noticing how sad your eyes looked. You felt Elsa’s comforting hand on yours, telling you that you’ll find him soon._ _

__After finishing dinner, Elsa and Chris excused themselves and left early, saying that they needed to tuck their kids into bed. “Tom, make sure your friend here gets back to her hotel safe. Don’t want her to get up late tomorrow, don’t we?” Chris shouted at his friend, before disappearing into their car and driving off. Now, you’re left alone with Tom. ‘Fate really is very weird...’ you thought, looking up at the sky and getting amazed by how many stars you could see. Tom also looked up, his blue-green eyes scanning the night sky. “No wonder Elsa and Chris like it here...” You mention, a smile on your face as you turned to Tom. He smiled at you, feeling content at just being with you right at that moment. “Well, I should get going...” You say, looking at your wrist watch as you started walking. “[Your Name], let me take you back,” Tom says, catching up to you and blocking your way. “Isn’t Taylor waiting for you?” You ask, Tom’s phone sounding off right at that moment. He checked his phone and found a message from Taylor. He looked at you, then back at his phone. Tom started typing something, then shoved his phone back into his pocket. “I insist. Your hotel’s on the way, anyway.” Tom added, his eyes pleading you to at least let him take you back to your hotel. You never could resist those eyes... “Alright, alright...” you answered, Tom smiling brightly before guiding you towards the car he rented. Ever the gentleman, he opened the passenger door for you before he slid in._ _

__The trip back to the hotel was filled with small talk, the both of you asking about each other. “How’s Taylor? I heard she ran into some problems as of late...” You ask, Tom’s face going serious before stopping at a red light. He looks at you, “She’s trying her best to keep things under control, laying low for a while...” He said, his eyes looking worriedly at the radio that was blasting off some new song. The light turns green, and I felt that that was the end of that conversation._ _

__The rest of the trip was quiet, the two of you just listening to the radio before even realizing that you were already in front of the hotel you were staying at. “I believe this is my stop… Thanks for the ride, Tom.” You turn to Tom, a smile on your face. “Thanks for the talk, [Your Name]. I missed you,” Tom replied, making you heart thump in your chest as Tom’s blue-green orbs hovered over your [Your Eye Color] ones. Before anything got more awkward, you say goodbye and get out of the car. “Have a safe trip. Say hi to Taylor for me, yeah?” You say through the open window of the car, Tom nodding at you as he smiled. You waved at him as he drove off, walking inside once you couldn’t see him. Your heart was still thumping in your chest, and you hated it. You knew things were different now, and that you should just move on and be done with these feelings of yours, but your heart seems to have other plans. You go up to your room, remove your makeup, take a quick shower, and slid under your sheets._ _

__The next few days were normal, filled with work and constant times meeting Tom and the rest of the cast. Chris told you stories about the tapings they did for the past Marvel films: some made you laugh until you held your stomach, while others just made you cringe in disgust. “Tom here always talked about you when we were filming the first Thor. “[Your Name] this, [Your Name] that...” He even showed me a picture of you!” Chris told you, Tom trying to make him shut up while his cheeks turned red. It made you laugh, seeing that they were getting along like real brothers. You just try and ignore what he said._ _

__You went home that day, glancing outside your window to see if there were any people using the pool. You had bought a swimsuit at a nearby clothing store, since you wanted to take a dip, and it looks like there were only a few people using it. You drop your bag on your bed and head on to your bathroom, changing into a [Y/FC] one-piece you got. You covered yourself with your bathrobe, got a small pouch to put your phone in, and headed downstairs._ _

__You got out onto the pool area, walking to one of the sun loungers, and dropped the towel and pouch onto it. You removed your robe and dove straight into the water, feeling refreshed when you resurfaced. You swim for a while, never wandering off too far from where you dropped your things. You hear your phone blaring off, making you hurriedly hop out of the pool to answer the dastardly thing. “[Your Name]? Did I catch you at a bad time?” You hear Tom say on the other line, your brows furrowed as he asked. “No, I just went for a dip here at the hotel’s pool. Did you want anything?” You answer, wiping off the water from your face as you sat down on the sun chair. “Oh. I’m actually here at your hotel’s lobby... Thought you’d want to get a coffee.” You hear him say. “What, you’re already here? Alright then. Just ask the receptionist to guide you here. Tell her you’re my guest.” I tell him, hearing him agree with me. You end the call there and proceed to wait for him, putting your bathrobe on and checking your social media accounts. You then hear heels clacking on the stone pavement, making you look up. There was Tom, in his suit, looking like he saw a ghost. You stand and go up to him, careful not to slip on the wet tiles. “Tom, did something happen?” You ask, looking up at him. You see his cheeks slightly flushed as he swallowed thickly, the blue-eyed man shaking his head as he looked elsewhere. “Okay... Do you want to go upstairs? I’ll just have to change into something more comfy,” you tell him, guiding him upstairs._ _

__Your way up was really silent, Tom not saying a word even if you were already in your room. You head straight to the bathroom, taking a quick shower and getting into your nightclothes. “I only have some coffee packets here... That alright?” You ask him, Tom telling you that it was fine. You heat some water in and sit down on the little dining table you had, waiting for Tom to speak up. He was just looking down, fiddling with his fingers. “By any chance, did I leave anything in your house back in L.A.?” He asked, his face serious. You thought hard, and remembered that you still had his old necklace with you: the one you gave him before you left for Edinburgh. You stood form your seat, going to your bag and retrieving the necklace from one of its pockets. “You mean this?” You ask him, dangling the necklace in front of your face as you looked at him. He hurriedly got the necklace from your hands, his eyes focused on the compass. “Remind me why you still kept that, after all these years?” You ask, stirring the both of your cups since you only had one teaspoon available to you. Tom glanced up at you, then back at the necklace you’d given him. “It’s as you said it was back then... It serves as my guide. If I’ve ever lost my way or needed some guidance, I’d look at this and just... Remember,” he explained, his fingers fiddling on the compass as he smiled._ _

__You were touched to hear that a simple parting gift you gave him when you were younger was a source of strength to him, even though you were already grown up. You smiled at him, “Well, the old woman in that antique store was right... Just look at you, all famous!” you say, Tom laughing as his cheeks were slightly tainted with a hint of pink. “... This is partly thanks to you, though. I wouldn’t have pursued acting if you hadn’t pushed me to do it,” he replies, sipping on his coffee. “Oh, come on! You were born to act. You just... Needed a little nudge.” You answered, to which you both laughed at. You talk a bit more, adding in some things about your families._ _

__“Dylan misses you, you know. So much for giving Uncle Tom some attention...” You hear Tom say, getting a laugh out of you both as you played with your now empty cup. “Sometimes, I’m not really sure if he’s really Emma’s child... He looks exactly like you when we were younger, especially the hair.” You add, feeling your cheeks hurt ‘cause of all the smiling you’ve been doing. Talking with Tom was just so very different from the others._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand that's it, for today at least... Don't hesitate to leave a comment, if you want to~


	12. Down Under (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You realize that you can’t just escape yourself, and just let your heart take over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, dear readers~ Jeez, it's been too long... Apologies!
> 
> After what seemed to be 11 chapters, I've decided to bring the reader and Tom together!
> 
> Enjoy~

You two kept talking ‘till midnight, Tom not realizing that it was very late if he hadn’t checked his phone and saw that he had 4 missed calls from Taylor. “Gosh, it’s already this late... I better head on back,” He says, quickly standing from his seat as his eyes set on his wristwatch. “It was lovely talking with you again, [Your Name]. I’ll see you tomorrow, then?” He added, heading for the door as you followed behind him. “Of course. I’m actually looking forward to see you on set again,” you reply, opening the door for him as he went out onto the hotel’s hallway. You don’t close the door before you see Tom get into the elevator, waving goodbye. You slept comfortably that night, feeling contented from your talk earlier.

You went to work the next day with the same enthusiasm, finishing your work early so you could go and see the people working on set. You walk out of the trailer you’ve currently been working in, heading for the set. You see that they were still filming for only a few more seconds before Taika shouts “Cut!” You saw Tom glance at you, before looking in another direction. He looked like he was pretending he didn’t see you there. You see Chris headed your way, though, so you proceed to ask him about it. “What’s up with Tom?” You ask him, Chris looking back to where Tom was. “I heard he and Taylor fought... I haven’t had the chance to ask him about it, though.” He scratched his beard, telling you that he’ll just go back to his trailer for a while. You nod at him, Chris heading to back to his trailer as you headed for Tom’s direction.

When you caught up to him, you see that he was taking a phone call, and he looked dead serious. “Yes, love. Of course. Right... Bye.” You hear him say as you walked toward him, Tom ending the call and putting away his phone before you got too near. “Was that Taylor?” You ask him, your voice light. Tom nodded, his lips in a tight line as he looked at his feet. “... Did you fight? Was it because you were late last night?” You looked guiltily at him, biting your lower lip as you waited for an answer. Tom looked up at you, then nodded his head. “I’m sorry, Tom. Maybe I could explain things, tell Taylor it was my fault for making you stay that late?” You ask, nervous that you might’ve broken your friend’s relationship. You didn’t want to get stuck in the middle of their relationship in that way. You just wanted the best for the two of them, and nothing more.

“I’m afraid it’s a bit too late, [Your Name]... She flew back to Nashville earlier this morning.” Tom answered, his gaze elsewhere before looking back at you. His eyes looked sad, but he was smiling at you. “... Thank you. For worrying about me... About us.” He adds, making you smile at him. “No harm done. Only wanted to help my friends...” You replied, before the Taika called out that it was time to shoot again. “You better get back there, Loki. Your brother needs you,” you say, looking behind him as you see everyone heading for the set. He smiles at you again, before turning and going on his way. You watched him as he strode, the smile on your face faltering as you felt an ache in your chest. ‘Not again... Not now, [Your Name]. He’s happy.’ You thought to yourself, feeling your heart sink again. This was happening often, and it was making you crazy. You just wanted to move on from all of this, for your heart to stop hurting like this when you saw him happy because of someone else. You hastened your steps back to your makeshift office, continuing to work on the piece Taika needed, before going home early again. You badly needed a drink, and wondered if the hotel’s bar had really good booze.

Once you got back to your hotel, you went back to your room, took a shower, and changed into a shirt and some jeans. You leave your bag in your room, not forgetting your phone and wallet in case you decide to go outside later on. You head on to the hotel’s bar, relief washing over you since there were only a few people drinking today. You sat and asked the bartender for a [Your Favorite Alcoholic Drink]. “Coming right up, Miss,” The bartender answered, leaving you to fiddle with your phone while waiting for your drink. You were reading some article that you found on your Facebook feed, when you felt someone sit beside you. “Well... What’s a woman like you doing in a place like this?” You hear him say, making you snort at the overused line that you’ve heard in movies and read in numerous pocket books.

You look to the side, finding the man staring at you with a smile on his face. His arms were clad in tattoos, but you have to say that he looked pretty. Based on his accent, though, he wasn’t from around here either. “Jesus, that was bad... Sorry. Didn’t mean to be that creepy. Let me start again... My name’s John. John O’Byrne. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss...?” he said, holding his hand to you, to which you only laugh more. He just looked at you, mesmerized at how you laughed at his joke. The least you could do was give him your name, right? “[Your Name]. My name’s [Your Name]. And it’s nice to meet you too, Mr. O’Byrne.” You replied, a smile on your face as you shook his hand. His hand held onto yours for longer than you wanted, before he realized it and let go of your hand quickly. The bartender puts your drink in front of you. John then starts to ask you some simple questions while you both sipped on your drinks, you answering them as plainly as you can since you didn’t really want to expose your private life to a stranger that quickly.

“What about you, though? You haven’t really told me anything about yourself, John,” you say, John smiling at your question. He told you that he was a vocalist in a band, and that he was taking a bit of time off to himself before they go on tour again. “Oh? You must be pretty popular, then... What made you come here, of all places?” You asked him, sipping your drink as you waited for his answer. He laughed, “I’ll tell you, but you might think it’s dumb...” He said, watching his drink swish in his glass. “Try me, Mr. O’Byrne.” You answered, tracing the mouth of your glass with your right index finger as you looked at him and waited eagerly for an answer. He wet his lips, “I wanted to go to see the stars,” he whispered, you almost not able to hear it if you hadn’t asked him to repeat it again. You blinked, then finished your drink, before looking back at the American. His eyes were all wide, waiting for a reaction from you. “... They do look prettier over here. I only saw clouds when I was still in England, and I was just too busy to even bother looking at the stars when I was back in L.A.” You tell him, remembering the scenery you saw the other day. You catch John gawking at you, before clearing his throat as his cheeks turned pinkish. You both finish your drink, you bidding farewell since you felt the alcohol hitting you system after just one drink. Before you could leave, you felt a hand on your arm. “Isn’t it a bit too early to turn in, [Your Name]? Tell you what: if you’ll watch the stars with me tonight, I’ll give you a ticket to one of our concerts,” He stated, standing from his seat as he pointed toward the pool, awaiting your answer eagerly. You bite your lip, thinking of whether you should go with him or just go with your original plan. Maybe this is what you’ve been waiting for, really: a chance to move on from Tom. “... Fine, then.” You nodded, a small smile on your face as you crossed your arms. John’s brows raised up a little, before he grinned widely and walked with you toward the swimming pool. The hotel was right next to a lake, so you thought that it was the perfect spot for stargazing.

You lied down on the grass, closed your eyes and breathed in some fresh air. The silence was comforting. You hear John lie down beside you, the grass ruffling as he sighed. You open your eyes, finally seeing the sea of stars in the night sky. “Jesus, that is beautiful...” You hear John say beside you, making you hum in agreement. You felt eyes on you, making you look back at John. “What’s that look about?” You ask him, putting your hands on your stomach as you returned your attention to the stars. “... Nothing. You just look really pretty.” He bluntly said, making you look at him, your hand lightly slapping his arm. “Ow! Hey, that hurt!” He laughed, rubbing his arm as your cheeks flushed. Gosh, he was very blunt... John talked about himself some more, saying that he was born in California and that he was really the CEO of a business, and that singing was just a hobby. You tell him some of your past too, leaving out the part about Tom. After a while, you exchange numbers, and just stay silent for the rest of the night.

You watched the stars for quite a bit of time, only standing when you remembered that you still had work the next day. “What floor are you staying at?” John asked as you made your way to the hotel’s lobby, only to find a familiar figure sitting at the café. It was Tom. You look at your phone, seeing that he left a text message a little over an hour ago. You head on over to where he was, “Tom! What are you doing here this late? Won’t Taylor get-” You say, Tom standing and hurriedly making his way to you with a nervous expression on his face. He looked tenser when he saw John walking up behind you and putting a hand on your shoulder. “[Your Name], is this man bothering you?” Tom asked, dragging you behind him as he faced John. “No, Tom! It’s fine. This is John, I met him at the bar earlier.” You replied, coming up between the two as you push them far away from each other. “John O’Byrne. Nice to meet you.” John said, raising his hand for a quick shake. Tom looked at it, John taking that as a signal that his presence wasn't wanted. Tom looked really angry... “Listen, [Your Name]. I gotta hit the hay. See ya’ around, then.” You hear John say, before he turned and went to the elevators. “O-oh, alright then. I’ll see you around!” You answer, John turning and smiling at you before he went on inside the elevator. You turned back to the tall blonde behind you, who looked like he was about to burst in anger. “... Who’s he? And why haven’t you been answering my calls or text messages?” He asked suddenly, his tone pissing you off a bit. “Not here, Tom. Let’s go upstairs...” You say, dragging him toward the elevator.

You didn’t talk until you were in your room, “Who was that man? And why were you out with him this late?” Tom started asking, his voice almost deafening. You’ve never seen him this angry. “I just met him earlier when I was having a drink. Why the hell are you angry?” You ask him, crossing your arms as your brows furrowed. “You drank with him? He could’ve taken advantage of you!” He suddenly said, making you think that he was the one intoxicated and not you. “Why in God’s name were you even drinking?” He adds, making you bite your lip as tears threatened to fall from your eyes. “... You.” You say, barely a whisper that Tom squinted, “Me? Have I done something wrong?” He asked, his voice toning down a bit as he waited for your answer. You start pacing in front of your bed, Tom standing by your window as you thought. “You... You always come back. You always seem to find a way to meet me. Then I feel those feelings come back... It always messes up my fucking head. I needed to forget them... Even for a bit. That’s why I went to the bar.” You explained, biting your lip as you paced.

Tom held your shoulders, keeping you still. “[Your Name], slow down. What’re you talking about? What feelings?” He asks, his voice raised up again as you looked elsewhere. “Don’t you get it, Thomas? All this time... After so many years... It’s still you! I know it’s not supposed to be that way, but it just is... God, I even hate myself for that!” You exclaim, shaking your head as tears were now running freely down your face. Tom’s eyes widened at the revelation, his grip on you loosened as his thoughts ran. He was speechless, only able to hug you as tight as the day you left for Edinburgh. You just stood there, a sobbing mess as Tom shushed you and stroked your hair. You didn’t expect what he’d tell you when he let you go.

“... Me too.” He said, holding your face as he wiped your tears off. That’s when you thought you were going deaf or that you were even dreaming! “W-what?” you sniffled, wiping your tears away. Now, it was your turn to be surprised. Tom snorted, pulling as stray strand of your hair behind your ear as he wiped the remnants of your tears. “I love you. Always have, always will.” He repeated, his blue orbs on your [Your Eye Color] ones. They seemed... Mesmerizing. They always were. That’s when he leaned in and gently kissed your lips, catching you by surprise. You blink a few times, before you decide to just be in the moment and close your eyes, fervently kissing him back. When both of you separate for air, there was only one thing running in your head: Taylor. How the hell would she react? You could only imagine the guilt running through you when you get to see her again.

“Tom, what about Taylor? I don’t want her to-” You worriedly say, before Tom cut you off by putting his lips on yours again. He pushed you down onto your bed, not letting go of your lips as his hands wandered onto your neck, then down to your shoulder, then stopped at your waist. Things went heated quickly, the two of you getting rid of each other’s clothing and just touching every inch of each other. Tom’s fingers felt like fire on your skin, making you squirm as they moved from one place to another. Tom gave you countless compliments, even stopping at times as his eyes studied the specimen before him. “I love you,” he kept saying, like he was afraid that you’d forget that he did. The rest of night was filled with only more passion, and soon, tiredness overcame you. You felt Tom’s arm go around your waist, your head resting on his bare chest as you cuddled up to him. “I love you,” you mutter sleepily, feeling Tom’s chest rumble with a chuckle as you felt his lips on your hair. “I love you too, [Your Name]...” he replied, before falling asleep himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand that's done... Phew! My eyes sorta teared up while writing this chapter... Oh well.
> 
> Thanks for reading! And leave a comment, if you want~


	13. It's Not That Easy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was the morning after the wonderful night you had. You wanted to feel happy, not a care in the world, but Tom had to explain some things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, guys~
> 
> Terribly sorry about not updating for so long ( Jesus, Christmas and New Year passed), but here's another chapter.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy~

Your eyes start to flutter awake, immediately feeling how sore you were after the events that transpired last night. You were resting on Tom’s chest, feeling it rise and fall underneath you. When you look up at the tall blonde, you see that he had a huge grin on his face as he gazed at you. “You know, you look more breath-taking when you’re asleep.” he tells you, making you chuckle at his compliment as he kissed your forehead. You snuggled closer to him if that were even possible, relishing the warmth of your bodies. At that moment, it felt as if it was only the two of you in the world. And as much as you wanted for it to last, one question kept running through your head: have they broken up? You don’t even know how you would live with yourself if he and Taylor were still technically dating.

To your surprise, though, Tom started talking before you could even ask. “Love, there’s something I need to tell you...” He said, his hand caressing your shoulder. You slowly sat up so you could focus on listening to him, covering your body with the sheet. “... Taylor and I haven’t officially broken off anything yet.” He continued, making you gulp as you tried not to cry in front of him. It hurt you, yes, but you needed to know why he did this. “... Then why’d last night happen?” You asked, not looking at him lest your tears fall. He took a deep breath, trying to form his sentences carefully so that you would understand. He knew well that you were straightforward when it comes to these things: you never liked beating around the bush, because you thought it was senseless. “... Do you remember when I told you that Taylor and I fought?” He asked, you nodding as you recalled. “... She lashed out at me that time. You see, I asked her to be my date for an award ceremony I would be attending in a few months,” he said, his tone making you glance back at him. Anger and disappointment was written across his face that time, his eyes starting to brim with a few tears as he bit his lower lip. “... Did you ask her why she wouldn’t come with you?” You asked, Tom clearing his throat before answering. “I did, but I couldn’t get a straight answer out of her,” he answered. “I’ve never seen her like this before... God, I feel like I don’t know what I’ve gotten myself into,” He added, shaking his head as he lightly bit his lower lip.

A long silence filled the air. You wanted to talk, to tell him that you understood him, but whenever you opened your mouth to say something, nothing came out. A few more minutes of thought, and you’ve already made your mind up. “... You should go,” You suddenly say, Tom startled at what you just said. “What?” Tom asks, his eyes squinting as his brows furrowed. You sigh deeply, miserably failing to prevent your tears from falling. “I said you should go. Go back to her, Tom. Do what you have to do,” you repeat, looking at him as you wiped away your tears. Tom was just staring at you, his eyes starting to fill with tears as he opened his mouth to say something, before closing it again. “... No.” He simply answered, making you stand from your bed in anger as you went to find your clothes. Tom also stood from where he sat on your bed, chasing after you. “Why do you always have to make things so hard?” You said, frustrated at what he’s decided on doing. This is the third time that he’s made things hard for you.

Tom got a hold of your arm, and turned you around so he could look you in the eye. “I’ve already told you that you’re the one I love, [Your Name],” Tom stated, holding you still as you hung your head low, trying desperately not to sob in front of this man. You’ve already bared yourself to him enough times. “Tom, you know I feel the same. But... She’s still waiting for you. I know she is,” you replied, gently taking Tom’s hands off of your shoulders as you looked up at him. “You told me yourself. You don’t know if it’s over. Now if I were you, I would want to make things clear for her before you go off telling people that you love them,” You added, now rushing towards the bathroom. You locked the door and leaned back on it, your sobs now uncontrollable. God, it still hurt so much... But it would hurt you more if Taylor would find out. You couldn’t imagine what you would do if she ever finds out. God, you won’t trust yourself with anyone anymore...

You showered and prepared yourself for work, not even surprised to find your room empty when you got out. You went to the other side of the room to get your things, but then you notice a piece of paper under your phone. You unfolded it, and you instantly knew whose writing it was. He wrote:

_[Your Name],_

_I’m truly sorry to involve you in this. You don’t deserve any of this. I’m sorry for putting you through a tough time again. I’ll go clear things up with Taylor for now._

_I love you._

_Tom_

You sighed, folding the letter again and shoving it in your pocket. You actually never thought that Tom would be able to do that to anyone, let alone someone he claimed he liked. God, he was willing to give everything up as long as he got you, but he knew you wouldn’t let him do that. You didn’t ever want to be a nuisance to his dream. You shook off the thoughts in your head, focusing on the work you needed done instead. You made your way down, then went to find your car in the hotel parking lot. You drove to the set, getting breakfast on the way. You knew things would turn awkward fast whenever you would see Tom, so you’ve decided to just stay out of production’s way for now. You don’t want Tom distracted while they’re filming.

You worked through the day, only getting off your desk during and lunch and bathroom breaks. When you encountered a cast member, you kept the discussion short and moved on to continue your work. You didn’t even notice the time if it weren’t for Taika knocking on the window and pointing at his watch. You were startled to see him suddenly waving at you wildly, Chris and Mark mimicking his actions behind him. You gave out a giggle, shaking your head as you stood and prepared to go home.

You see them again before you got out of the set, although Tom was with them now. “Hey, [Your Name]. Why don’t you hang with us a bit? You know, before you leave and all,” Mark asked, hands in his pockets as Chris and Taika nodded at his suggestion. Tom, on the other hand, remained quiet as he tried looking at anything but you. “Thanks for the invitation, Mark, but I feel a bit drained. How about I take a rain check?” you answered, a small smile on your face as you waited for one of them to answer. “[Your Name], you’ve been stuck in the office for the whole day. I was actually surprised that I haven’t bumped into you once on the set today,” Taika remarked, crossing his arms as he pouted. Well, you didn’t get out of your office the whole day, but all you wanted to do right now was be alone in your room and just sleep. “I’m really sorry, Taika. I’ll make it up to you, okay?” You responded, praying that Taika will let it slide for now. They would be in Los Angeles for the premiere anyway, so you thought that would be the perfect time to hang out. Taika sighed, “Fine, fine... But we’re going to your house the day after the premiere,” Taika added as you nodded to his request. “Yeah, sure. Well, I gotta go. I’ll see you all tomorrow,” you said, bidding them goodbye as you passed them and went to get your car. Once you got to your room, you just took a shower and went straight to bed, exhaustion overcoming you. You were actually thankful for that, since it meant that you couldn’t think about your current problem.

Taika, Mark, Chris and Tom all went a bar Chris was talking about, making sure that they weren’t gonna have problems with the paparazzi. They all sat down in a private room, and got their drinks in their hands as music vibrated throughout the whole place. Taika, Mark and Chris started talking about all sorts of things, whether related to the film or not, while Tom just sat and listened. He also got a little fidgety when they talked about how you’d rejected their invitation.

“Tom, you alright?” Chris asked, putting a hand on Tom’s shoulder as he talked. He noticed that Tom looked glum for the whole day. Although he did alright in his scenes, Tom would stay eerily quiet when they were done filming. “Of course, I’m fine. I just... got a lot of things in my head right now,” Tom said, taking a swig of his beer as he started looking elsewhere. “Come on, Tom. We all know it’s about [Your Name],” Taika stated a matter-of-factly, Tom almost spitting out his drink. “God, was I that obvious?” Tom asked, feeling a bit terrible as he thought back on what he did the whole day. “Tom, we all know you’re a really good actor, but when it comes to your personal life, we see right through you,” Taika added, gulping some of his beer as the other two nodded at what he’d just said. “I did something terrible to her again, Taika... And I think she won’t forgive me for it,” Tom stated, shaking his head at his disappointment. “Well, I think if she’s a real friend of yours, she couldn’t possibly not be able to forgive you. Just give her time,” Mark said, trying his best to comfort his friend. Heck these three didn’t know about you much, but based on the five days they’ve been with you, they’ve come to know you as an understanding person, and one that wouldn’t do anything if it wasn’t absolutely necessary. Tom stayed silent after that, a small smile on his face as he thanked them. Although they didn’t know what the problem was, they silently hoped that you and Tom could work it out and be friends again.

Another day passes, and then it’s already time for you to return to California. You look back at your room, making sure that you remembered to put everything in your bag, before finally closing the door and going down to the lobby. You check out and ask the concierge to get a cab for you, so you proceed to sit down at the hotel’s café. You ordered some tea before you sat down and brought your phone out. You noticed that you had a message from your mother, asking if you were going home for Christmas, to which you replied a ‘Yes.’ You couldn’t wait to go home and have some quality time with your family. You continuously scroll through your social media accounts, only to lock your phone because you didn’t find anything of interest. You were about to stand and get a newspaper, when you see Chris coming toward the café. He waved at you, you giving a smile as you sat back on you seat. “Chris, what’re you doing here?” you asked him, a grin still plastered on your face at your surprise. “I’m actually here to talk about Tom, [Your Name]. He told us that you two had problems?” Chris replied, the grin on your face now disappearing as you thought. You know Tom wouldn’t tell anyone about what really happened since it would make the situation a lot more complex. “Listen, I didn’t come here to ask you about whatever it is, but I can’t help but notice his demeanor change. He looked really down when we were filming for the past two days,” he added, describing how he’d seen Tom looking as if he was deep in thought after each scene. It saddened you that it might somehow affect Tom’s performance, but you knew that he would absolutely do better than most. “... Sorry, Chris. I think I just need time alone, for now. Thought I’d lessen our interactions to not make things worse than they are already,” you replied, fiddling with your bag’s strap as you glanced down. Chris was looking at you, hoping that you would continue. But when your lips remained sealed for the rest of the time, he just nodded and said that it was alright, realizing that it was probably best to leave you to think. “We’ll see you in Los Angeles,” Chris uttered, putting a hand on your shoulder before he stood and left.

You were already back in L.A. before you knew it. Of course, you had to make a report for your boss, and had a ton of things to clean in your house. The distraction wasn’t unwelcome, since you began to notice your thoughts going back to that night you had with Tom. God, the timing really awful...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand that took me a few rewrites.... Any thoughts?
> 
> Might starting writing the next one this week, which is gonna be the epilogue. 
> 
> To those who have read until this far, thank you very much~  
> Maybe I'll try writing one shots, this time? Aahaha...


	14. Always

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s been a few months, and the premiere night for Ragnarok was coming near. What will you do when you face Tom again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dears~
> 
> This will be the final chapter for this fan fic. Thank you for those who've followed this story I made 'till the end.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy~

You're now sitting at a café in Los Angeles, working on your latest screenplay as you drank coffee. Sighing contentedly, you typed on your laptop as ideas continuously poured out of you. You were now pretty sure you could finish this draft in three days. You jumped a little when you felt your phone vibrate in your pocket, the screen indicating that you had a new message. You check it, surprised to see that the message was from Chris. It read:

_Hey, [Your Name]! Tonight's the premiere for Ragnarok. We've actually reserved a ticket for you and have arranged for a car to pick you up (Mark's idea, not mine). Anyway, the premiere starts at 7. See you!_

You squinted at these two’s antics, shaking your head as you realised that they’d do anything to get you to come to the premiere. It was really about time you talked to Tom again. You sighed as you checked the time, before closing your laptop and shoving it into your bag. You’ve got a few hours to prepare for the premiere. You knew you didn’t need to dress up too much, but it doesn’t hurt to look good. Once you got home, you hurriedly go through your clothes, looking for a decent dress to wear. To your surprise, a [Your Favourite Colour] cocktail dress you had bought with your mother the last time you visited England was still lying there, untouched. It did hug you in all the right places, but you never really did go out that much. Maybe it was time you brought it out.

Once you got a decent dress, you went to the salon to get your hair and makeup done. You told the makeup artist what colour your dress was, and that you didn’t want to get noticed too much. And boy, did she give you that. It’s been a while since you’ve even felt this confident about your looks. You smile at your reflection, thanking the makeup artist before paying and going back to your house. You dressed up, careful not to smudge your makeup, and waited for the said car Mark and Chris had rented.

God, you felt anxious. Your palms were beginning to sweat, nervous about meeting Tom for the first time in months. You take deep breathes, but that never seemed to dissipate the butterflies in your stomach. You hear your doorbell ring, making you stand as you tried desperately not to trip because of your high heels.

“Good afternoon, Ma’am. I’m here to escort you to the premiere,” the driver says, his hands behind his back as he smiled at you. You nod at him, lock your front door, and rode to the theatre. Once there, though, you feel your anxiety getting to you again. You close your eyes and take deep breathes, smoothing out your dress as the driver parked in front of the red carpet. That’s when you see a heap of paparazzi, all taking photos of the stars that have arrived at the venue. You get out of the car, thanking the driver before turning to the theatre. You’ve never actually been to a premiere night for one of these things. You hoped you could have fun, even if it would be a bit awkward. You slowly walk towards the theatre, hoping that you’d see a familiar face.

The first person to see you was Taika, a big grin on his face as he saw you coming. “Wow, [Your Name]... You should wear dresses more,” He greets, kissing your cheek as you did the same. “Thanks, Taika. Are Chris and Mark here yet?” you asked him, clutching your purse as you began fidgeting a bit. Taika pointed at them, the others a little further from where you were. “Come on, let’s go,” Taika says, lightly holding onto my wrist as he dragged me on the red carpet.

Everyone was actually talking to a reporter, explaining how filming was with the new cast members, when Mark noticed you and Taika walking up to them. “Hey look, it’s our favourite director! And he brought [Your Name]!” Mark announced, the whole group glancing toward you and Taika. Everyone greeted you, except for Tom. He was still stuck in place, his mouth hanging open as he stared at you. “... Tom? Hey, you alright?” Chris asked, shaking his friend by the shoulder to make him snap out of his trance. He cleared his throat and smiled. “Of course,” he answered, his eyes still glued to you. You admit that you were also staring at him, noting his now fully-grown beard and check suit. “... It’s nice to see you again, [Your Name],” he told you, his eyes silently telling you that he’ll be talking to you again later. You smile and nod at him, then realized that you were stalling their interview. “Please, don’t let me keep you. Go on!” you exclaimed, pointing at the reporter before going inside the theatre hurriedly.

You were already inside the theatre, realising that your seat was right beside Tom’s. You shook your head, thinking that this was still part of Mark’s and Chris’ plan. You sat down and waited for them to get to their seats, Tom surprised that you were sitting beside him. He looked at you with a questioning look, “Yeah, I know. Ask those two,” you told him, pointing at the two men who were currently talking. Tom shook his head at them, sitting down before checking his phone for any messages.

God, this felt awkward. You really want to talk to Tom, though: ask him what he’s been up to lately, just like you did back then. The thing between you two has been a whole roller coaster, and you can’t help but feel tired just thinking of what you’ve gone through. In the end though, you still decide to talk to him. “So, Tom... How’ve you been? Any new projects lately?” You asked, looking at anything but him. Tom noticed this, but still answered your question. “I’m taking a bit of a break right now. I had Hamlet about a month ago. You?” He replied, looking up as he tried to remember the projects he's done previously. "I was actually writing a screenplay draft before those two texted me," you tell him, rolling your eyes as you remembered the message Chris sent you. Both of you went silent as the lights in the theatre turned off, signalling the start of the film.

Laughs filled the theatre, probably because of Taika's style of directing. Compared to the previous sequel, you've noticed that this was lighter. You felt eyes on you, making you glance at Tom to check if he was looking. And he was, not even embarrassed that you'd caught him doing so. "What?" You asked him, your eyebrows furrowed as your eyes went back to the screen. "Nothing... I'm just happy you're here, watching probably one of the best films I've done," he answered, fiddling with his nails as you glance back at him. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, Tom,” you retorted, a small smile on your face as you glanced at him. At that moment, it felt like it was only you two. You’ve missed this feeling. You’ve missed him.

When the movie finished, everyone in the theatre applauded. God, it was beautiful, and you couldn’t wait to see the next film. You glanced toward Tom, who had a huge grin on his face, and patted him on the back. The producers thanked everyone, joy on their face at the premiere night’s success. You were about to turn around and leave, before Tom caught your arm. “[Your Name], where’re you going? We still have the after party,” he stated, pointing toward the whole cast as he let go of your arm. “I’m sorry, Tom. I really need to finish the screenplay by tomorrow,” you answered as you walked slowly away from him. Well, your deadline was on Friday, but you wanted your work done by Wednesday or Thursday. You apologize profusely, saying your goodbyes to the others before running off and heading home.

When you got home, you took a shower and went straight to work. You felt inspired right after watching Thor: Ragnarok, and it was just what you needed to fuel your imagination. Before you knew it, it was already midnight. That’s when you thought that you needed to relax a bit and have a cup of tea. You fill a kettle and put in on your stove, waiting for the water to boil. You were about to sit down at your dining table, when you hear your doorbell ring. Your brows furrowed, wondering who could be visiting you at this time of night. You go to open the door, only to find Tom panting as if he ran all the way to your house. “Tom, what’re you-” you were cut off by his lips on yours, catching you off-guard that you almost fell if it weren’t for Tom holding you by the waist. After a moment, he let you go but rested his forehead on yours as he tried to catch his breath. “God, I’ve missed you. I’ve missed this,” he told you, making you giggle as you closed your eyes. "Me too," you answered, resting your forehead on his.

“So, how was the after party?” You asked him casually, hooking your hands around his neck as he talked. “It was fun. Chris started doing this crazy dance, and then everyone started following him. But I think it would’ve been more fun with you there,” he replied, making you grunt in disgust at the cheesy remark. “So cheesy, you are...” you exclaimed, pinching his nose before the kettle started whistling. You hurriedly let go of him to turn your stove off, asking Tom if he wanted tea. “Sure, I’ll have a cup,” he answered, sitting down at your dining table as you brought out two tea packets from your cupboard. “Where do you keep your cups?” Tom asked, standing and going over to where you were. “They’re over there by the sink,” you answered, Tom getting two cups out and putting them on the countertop. You passed him a packet, to which he said a cheerful “Thank you!”. You poured hot water into both of your cups before submerging the teabags.

You both took each of your mugs and sat down at your dining table, waiting for the tea to brew. “... Could I sleep over?” Tom asked as his fingers traced his mug’s mouth. He looked as he did years ago, back when he would get in trouble because of a prank he’d let loose. His puppy dog eyes never worked with his mother, though. You laughed a little at the memory, “Of course, you can. When are you going back to London?” you inquired, Tom answering that he’ll be back to London in a week. “I wanted to spend time here for a while... With you,” he answered, now looking you in the eye as your cheeks flushed. You blushed as you lifted the teabag out of your cup, sipping on it as Tom did the same. You both quietly sat there, sipping on your teacups.

When you’ve both emptied your cups, you washed them before going to bed, dragging Tom along. “... Are you seriously sleeping with a suit on?” you asked him, seeing that was still wearing the check suit he wore to the premiere. “I’d prefer it off, actually,” he replied, dragging you by the waist as you shook your head and laughed. He started kissing you, your clothes flying around your room. This time, nothing was bothering you. No more complicated shit.

It was already noon when you woke up the next day. You didn’t need to report to the office, so you decide to sleep in. You rested on Tom’s bare chest while you discussed various things, his fingers intertwining with yours as you both talked. “When’ll you be going home, [Your Name]?” he then asked, making you lift your head and look at him. “Soon. Why do you ask?” you answered, brows furrowing at his sad eyes. “Catching too much attention made me miss home. I’ll be staying there for a long while, and I was hoping I could see you when you go back,” he explained, playing with a lock of your hair as he talked. “Don’t worry, love. I’ll tell you when I’ll be home,” you tell him, kissing his cheek and resting your head back on his chest. At that moment, yet again, it was only you two in the world.

_A few months later..._

It was Christmas Eve, and you couldn’t ask for more. Your family and Tom’s had just finished dinner, and you were all sitting by the fire drinking hot cocoa as your father told a silly story about you and Tom when you were younger. Laughs were heard throughout the night, and then Tom dragged you to the middle of the room. You look at him, wondering what he had hidden in his sleeves. The room silenced as Tom went to the middle of the room, dragging you along as you clung to his arm. “I’m happy that all of you made it here and celebrated Christmas with us,” he started, glancing back at you with a smile on his face. You smiled back at him, urging him to continue. “I know it’s only been a short while since I officially asked [Your Name] to be mine, but you all know that I’ve loved her since we were children,” he adds, earning a few shrieks from Tom’s sisters. “I know, I know... Took me long enough, right?” Everyone in the room laughed, knowing that you two weren’t getting any younger.

When everyone went silent again, he continued. “... And all of you also know that I would be terrified to lose her again,” he uttered, a serious look on his face as he held your hand. “[Your Name], I’ll go mad if I won’t be able to ask you this, so...” he said, before kneeling down on one knee in front of you. Your eyes widen as your hands covered your mouth. Every woman in the room gasped as Tom searched his back pocket for a box, your eyes tearing up as he opened it in front of you. “[Your Name], would you do me the honor of being my wife?” He asked, making you smile as you felt your tears run down your cheeks. Without even thinking about it, you nod your head fast. “Yes! Definitely yes!” you shouted, a huge grin on your face as you held Tom’s face in your hands. Tom was also grinning at you, tears in his eyes as he got the ring out of its box and slid it onto your finger. He then hugged you tightly, “I love you, [Your Name].” he whispered before kissing your forehead. You hugged him back as tight, “I love you too...” you replied, letting him go before giving him a peck on the lips. Everyone was basically taking pictures of the two of you, shouting their congratulations. Your mother and Tom’s mother had teared up a bit too, touched at the scene before them. Never the less, you couldn’t be happier to announce to the world that you were marrying the love of your life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's a wrap~
> 
> Any comments?
> 
> Oh, and I'm already planning a Loki X OFC fic. I'm already planning it, and I think I'll start writing soon.
> 
> Again, thanks for those who gave this a kudos, thanks to those who followed this story to the end.
> 
> If you have any request/s or ideas for oneshots, check out my fandom list on my profile. Please don't hesitate to leave me a message.
> 
> I hope you've enjoyed reading this, as much as I enjoyed writing it. :D

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading~ ^o^


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